Malaria Fact Sheet

KEY FACTS

• Malaria is a disease spread by mosquitoes
• It is widespread in many tropical areas, but most cases (over 90%) happen in Africa
• Each year, malaria causes around 600,000 deaths, including in people who travel to risk areas
• Travel related malaria is most common in people who don’t receive or follow preventive advice
• Pregnant women, children <5 years, those without a
• functioning
• spleen and those with weak immune systems are at higher risk of severe malaria
• All malaria cases are preventable

SYMPTOMS

• Malaria can cause fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches, headache, diarrhoea, cough, and coma
• It is easy to confuse malaria with other illnesses that have similar symptoms, like the fl u
• It may take 7 days to many months after a mosquito bite for signs of illness to show up

PREVENTION

• Preventive measures work well if you follow them
• Remember A, B, C, D:
  • Awareness. Be aware of the risk. Find out if malaria is present where you’re going
  • Bite prevention. Prevent bites by using insect repellent and sleeping under an insecticide treated bed net
  • Chemoprophylaxis. See your health care provider for advice about malaria prevention tablets
  • Diagnosis and treatment. If you feel unwell within 6 months of visiting a malaria risk area, seek medical help quickly for a malaria test

TREATMENT

• Treatment for malaria works very well and can save your life when started early in the illness
• Don’t wait – seek medical help quickly

MORE INFORMATION

Recommendations vary, so please check offi cial health information from your own country, such as:

• Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, United States: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/malaria
• Travel Health Pro, United Kingdom https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/52/malaria
• Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/malaria/risks-malaria.html

See the ISTM Insect Bite Avoidance Fact Sheet for more info on how to prevent insect bites.

References

1. World Health Organization (2023) Key Facts.
Available from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria
[Accessed 11/11/23]
2. Chiodini PL, Patel D and Goodyer L.. Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the United Kingdom, 2023. London: UK Health Security Agency. Available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/malaria-prevention-guidelines-for-travellers-from-the-uk
[Accessed 11/11/23]