What should you know about mosquito responsible for malaria transmission?

Malaria parasites enter the bloodstream through the bite of an infected mosquito. Fever may come with chills, sweating, headache, weakness or muscle aches, and symptoms can appear after you return from travel. The timing and pattern vary, and early illness may not look distinctive. Malaria can worsen quickly, so a recent stay in a malaria area is clinically relevant even if the bite was not noticed.

Before travel, arrange a Travel Health Consultation to discuss destination-specific protection and Malaria Prophylaxis. Use repellent, cover exposed skin, sleep behind intact screens or a bed net, and reduce standing water near living areas. After travel, seek assessment promptly for fever or chills and ask whether a Blood Test is needed. Tell the clinician where you travelled, when you returned and any prevention medicine taken.

Fever, chills or flu-like illness after travel to a malaria area needs prompt medical advice, even if symptoms are mild. Seek emergency help for confusion, fainting, seizures, breathing difficulty, severe weakness, repeated vomiting or inability to drink. Do not wait for symptoms to follow a predictable cycle, and do not rely on a negative home test to rule out serious illness.

Ask whether your travel history requires malaria testing, how soon results are available, whether prevention medicine was suitable, and what symptoms require emergency care. Mention pregnancy, chronic illness, allergies and every medicine or supplement you use.