How To Prevent Malaria

This video is for those of you who want to know how to prevent malaria. Now malaria is a serious disease which can be fatal so prevention is better than cure. Now the best way in preventing it is to try and avoid bites from mosquitoes that could potentially carry the malaria parasite.

So, simple measures if you are going somewhere with a hot climate is to wear long sleeves and be particularly vigilant in twilight and in the evening times when mosquitoes are more prevalent. Interestingly light colors tend to repel mosquitoes more than dark ones so it's worth bearing that in mind when you choose your wardrobe for your holiday. Having mosquito nets wrapped around your bed at night will also be good, preferably having ones that are permeated with permethrin which repels mosquitoes as well.

If you stay somewhere with air-conditioning, that's great. If not, then try to pick a place which has gores over the windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering during the night time. Applying DEET spray on your skin will also help to repel mosquitoes and therefore help to reduce the amount of bites that you get, so if you can get a spray with preferably 30-50 % concentration of DEET and put it on skin exposed areas.

Now your risks of having bites and getting malaria will also vary depending on which country you're going to be in. now obviously mosquitoes are most common in tropical and subtropical areas and therefore so is malaria. I would advise you to look at the health protection agency website for advice on specific requirements for which country you're going to be in.

if you're not sure you can also go to your doctor, your practice nurse, or your travel clinic where they will be able to advise you as whether you need to take tablets to prevent malaria as well. Your doctor will be able to advise you as to which malaria tablets would be right for you based not only on which country you're going to be in but also on your own body and your own health. For example, if you're pregnant or if you have epilepsy or other problems you will need to tell your doctor before you start taking any tablets.

Some malaria tablets require that you take a course up to a month after you leave a malaria endemic area. This is vitally important, please don't finish your course of treatment early even if you are feeling fine 3 weeks after coming back from somewhere you may have been exposed to malaria. This is because if you stop the treatment early it may give the parasite the chance to multiply in your blood stream if you have had any bites while you we're away.

If you do suffer from a fever or a flu like illness within a year of coming back from an area where malaria is prevalent then you must go and see your doctor especially if you get these symptoms within 3 months of coming back. I hope these tips have been useful and I wish you a very happy holiday.