Should I get vaccinated?
Malaria is a serious infection that affects people of all ages and is caused by a parasite. The infection is spread by mosquitos and can be life-threatening.
Although there is currently no malaria vaccine approved for general travel use, there are antimalarial drugs and preventatives available.
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How do I get antimalarials?
Come and chat with us!
Antimalarial drugs are recommended for people travelling to certain areas. We can help you decide what’s right for you and get you set up with malaria prevention products and other travel essentials.
We can also help you with other travel vaccinations and travel health advice, including mosquito repellents.
Disease facts
Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transferred to people when they are bitten by an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It is sometimes contracted from an infected blood transfusion or contaminated needles, however, it is not passed from person to person.
There are five parasite species that can cause malaria. Plasmodium falciparum is the most dangerous in Africa and Plasmodium vivax is the most common in other parts of the world.
The disease is mostly found in in tropical and subtropical regions, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Places in Southeast Asia, such as Papua New Guinea and the Kokoda Track, and certain parts of Central and South America. Infected mosquitoes are not normally found in Australia.
Avoiding being bitten and using antimalarial medications in high-risk areas are the best ways to reduce your chances of becoming unwell.
Malaria symptoms
Symptoms of malaria usually start to show 10–15 days after being bitten and can include:
- fever, sweats and chills
- headache
- diarrhoea.
Some people experience mild symptoms, especially if they’ve had malaria before. However, for some people it can be serious and even cause death. Severe symptoms include:
- extreme tiredness and fatigue
- breathing difficulties
- changes in consciousness, such as becoming unresponsive
- convulsions, fits or seizures
- jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
- dark or bloody urine
- other abnormal bleeding.
If you experience any of the symptoms of malaria within two weeks of visiting an infected area you should seek medical attention. Anyone with severe symptoms should seek medical treatment straight away.
Side effects
A range of antimalarial drugs are available and different medicines can cause different side effects.
The most common complaints include:
- tummy troubles, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
- headache
- dizziness
- fatigue
- sensitivity to the sun and an increased risk of sunburn.
A pharmacist can talk you through the options and what is right for you. We can also offer options to reduce the risk of side effects, such as probiotics to help with tummy complaints and good sunscreen. And of course, a good mosquito repellent!
Preventing malaria
It is important to minimise your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes by:
- using insect repellent that contains at least 30% DEET
- covering as much skin as possible by wearing light coloured, loose fitting clothing with long sleeves and long pants
- treating your clothes with mosquito repellent
- avoiding going outside or having doors and windows open at dawn and dusk
- sleeping in a mosquito net (preferably treated with repellent) or a closed room and spraying an insecticide before going to bed.
We can help you choose the best products for your travel.
