Infections
Medicines for Malaria
A serious parasitic infection spread by mosquito bites in tropical regions — a fever during or after travel to a malaria area is a medical emergency needing same-day testing.
Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.
Quick answer
What is Malaria?
Malaria is an infection caused by Plasmodium parasites, passed to people through the bite of an infected mosquito in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. There are several species; the most dangerous, Plasmodium falciparum, can make someone very ill very quickly and can be fatal within days if not recognised and treated.
- How it is treated: The first priority is rapid diagnosis: a fever in anyone who has been to a malaria area is treated as an emergency until malaria is ruled out by a blood film or rapid test.
- Self-care: Preventing bites is central: cover up at dusk and overnight, use an effective insect repellent, sleep under an insecticide-treated net and stay in screened or air-conditioned accommodation where possible.
- When to seek help: A fever, or feeling unwell with chills, sweats or headache, during travel or in the weeks to months after returning from a malaria area is an emergency — seek same-day medical assessment and say where you have travelled.
What it is
Malaria is an infection caused by Plasmodium parasites, passed to people through the bite of an infected mosquito in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. There are several species; the most dangerous, Plasmodium falciparum, can make someone very ill very quickly and can be fatal within days if not recognised and treated. Symptoms usually begin a week or more after a bite and often resemble flu — fever, chills, sweats, headache, aches and tiredness — which is exactly why malaria is so easy to miss. In the UK, almost all cases are seen in people who have recently returned from a malaria-endemic country, so any fever during or after such travel must be taken seriously and tested for the same day, whatever the time of year.
How it is treated
The first priority is rapid diagnosis: a fever in anyone who has been to a malaria area is treated as an emergency until malaria is ruled out by a blood film or rapid test. Because the right treatment depends on which species is involved, how unwell the person is and where the infection was caught (some regions have drug-resistant parasites), treatment is always chosen by specialists rather than guessed. People who are severely ill, or who have falciparum malaria, are treated in hospital, often with medicine given into a vein. Just as important is prevention before travel: a tailored plan combines avoiding mosquito bites with preventive medicine started before departure and continued for a set period after returning, with the exact choice guided by the destination, the season and the person’s health.
For this condition, these medicines
Medicine classes used for Malaria
Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.
Symptom checker
Symptoms that can point to Malaria
Malaria can be one cause of these symptoms. Each guide explains the other possible causes and the red-flag warning signs that mean you should get urgent help:
Beyond medication
Lifestyle and self-care
Preventing bites is central: cover up at dusk and overnight, use an effective insect repellent, sleep under an insecticide-treated net and stay in screened or air-conditioned accommodation where possible. Anyone planning travel to a malaria area should seek pre-travel advice well in advance so prevention can be arranged.
When to get help
When to see a doctor
A fever, or feeling unwell with chills, sweats or headache, during travel or in the weeks to months after returning from a malaria area is an emergency — seek same-day medical assessment and say where you have travelled. Drowsiness, confusion, breathlessness, fits or being unable to keep fluids down need immediate emergency care; call 999.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
Answers
Malaria: frequently asked questions
What medicines are used for malaria?
A group of medicines called antimalarials is used both to prevent malaria around travel and to treat it once diagnosed. There is no single drug for everyone: the right choice depends on the parasite species, how severe the illness is and the region the infection came from, because some areas have drug-resistant parasites. For these reasons treatment is always guided by a specialist.
Do I really need preventive tablets if I am only going for a short trip?
Often, yes. Even a short stay in a high-risk area can be enough to catch malaria, and falciparum malaria can become life-threatening quickly. Whether you need preventive medicine, and which one, depends on your exact destination, the time of year and your own health, so get tailored pre-travel advice rather than deciding alone.
I took my prevention tablets, so I cannot have malaria — right?
Preventive medicine greatly lowers the risk but does not remove it completely, and symptoms can appear after a course is finished. Any fever during or after travel to a malaria area should still be tested the same day, even if you took your tablets exactly as advised.
How soon after travel could malaria appear?
Symptoms usually start at least a week after being bitten, but with some species they can appear months later. Because of this delay, mention recent tropical travel to any clinician you see, even weeks after you return.
Keep reading
Related articles
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NICE CKS: Malaria.
- NICE CKS: Malaria.
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