Malaria can be a potentially fatal condition, but with a prompt diagnosis and treatment, many people make a full recovery. If you have been diagnosed with malaria, your treatment will start as soon as possible.
Malaria is normally treated using anti-malarial medicines. The type of medicine that you are prescribed, and the length of your treatment, will depend on a number of factors, such as:
- the type of malaria that you have contracted,
- where you were infected,
- whether or not you are pregnant,
- your age, and
- the severity of your symptoms.
There are five drugs commonly used to treat malaria. Your doctor will check the most recent advice and tell you which one is right for you. Depending on the current situation in your destination, they may recommend a combination of different drugs to overcome strains of malaria which have become drug-resistant.
Atovaquone plus proguanil (brand name Malarone)
This drug is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, babies, and small children under 24lb, or people with severe kidney problems. Dosage for adults is one tablet a day, which can be started just one to two days before your trip and finished a week after you get back. Side effects include headaches and abdominal pain.
Chloroquine (brand names Avloclor, Nivaquine)
Not recommended for people with liver or kidney problems, eye or vision problems, psoriasis, epilepsy or porphyria, or people taking other medications. Adults will need to take one dose per week, starting one week before you go and carrying on for four weeks after you return. Side effects include nausea, headaches, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. Chloroquine is one of the oldest malaria drugs, so some strains of malaria are resistant to it.
Doxycycline (brand names Nordox and Vibramycin)
Doxycylcline is not suitable for pregnant or breast-feeding women, children under 12, people who are sensitive to tetracycline antibiotics or people with liver problems. Dosage is one tablet a day, starting one or two days before you go and carrying on for four weeks after you return. Side effects include nausea and diarrhoea.
Mefloquine (brand name Lariam)
Not recommended for babies under 11lb, people who have had epilepsy or psychiatric problems, or people with heart problems. Dosage is one tablet a week starting three weeks before you go, and carrying on for four weeks after you get back. Side effects include dizziness, headaches, insomnia, nightmares, anxiety, depression, panic attacks and hallucinations. Very rarely, there may be fits or psychatric problems needing treatment. It’s very important that you tell your doctor about any previous psychiatric problems, including depression.
Proguanil (brand name Paludrine) plus chloroquine
This combination is not suitable for people with liver or kidney problems. Dosage is two tablets per day, starting one week before you go and ending four weeks after you return. Side effects include mouth ulcers, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. Chloroquine is usually taken in combination with proguanil.
If you have a mild case of malaria, you may be prescribed medication that you can take at home. If your malaria is more severe, you may have to be admitted to hospital. If you are unable to take your medication orally, you may have to have your anti-malarial medicine administered intravenously (through a vein in your arm).
Treatment for malaria can leave you feeling very weak and tired for several weeks afterwards.
Treatment during pregnancy
If you are pregnant, some of the medicines that are usually used to treat malaria are unsuitable because they may cause side effects for both you and your child. Chloroquine and quinine are the medicines that are safe to use during pregnancy. These can be used at any stage of your pregnancy without harm to you, or your baby. However, if you were prescribed these medicines as a way of preventing malaria, they will not be suitable as a form of treatment for the disease.
Other medicines may be suitable depending on which stage of your pregnancy you are at. If you develop any malaria-like symptoms, or suspect that you may be at risk of malaria, contact your GP as soon as possible.
