If you are traveling to a malaria area, plan your consultation well in advance. To get recommendations on pharmacological prophylaxis, talk to a pharmacist during a visit to the Pharmacy Vaccination Point.
Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium (in humans most often: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale; more rarely zoonotic P. knowlesi). Infection occurs mainly after being bitten by an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which introduces invasive forms of the parasite into human blood. Rarely, infection can occur after blood transfusion or from mother to fetus.
The source of the pathogen in the "human-mosquito-human" cycle is an infected person (also with mild symptoms), and the vector of transmission is a mosquito.
The incubation period is usually approx. 7–30 days (may vary depending on the species). Travelers without immunity going to endemic regions are most at risk, as well as children, pregnant women, people with reduced immunity, and people staying outdoors from dusk to dawn (time of highest activity of many Anopheles mosquitoes).
Initially, malaria can be "flu-like" and gives non-specific symptoms, including:
Classically, paroxysms of fever may appear (feeling of severe cold → high fever → sweating and exhaustion), which may repeat every 2–3 days, but with P. falciparum fever can be irregular and the disease can deteriorate rapidly.
The most dangerous is severe malaria (especially P. falciparum), which can lead to:
Urgent medical consultation / ER is necessary when a person returning from the tropics develops a fever (even if prophylaxis was used), and especially when the following occur: confusion, drowsiness, convulsions, shortness of breath, severe vomiting/dehydration, jaundice, fainting.
The highest risk of illness concerns mainly Sub-Saharan Africa, but malaria also occurs in parts of Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and in some regions of Oceania.
In Europe and Poland, these are most often imported infections (after travel). European surveillance systems also describe rare local cases (e.g., in single countries/regions), but these are still sporadic situations.
This information is most important for people going on exotic holidays, "backpacking" trips, contracts, or volunteering — especially where access to rapid diagnostics and treatment is limited.
Since mosquitoes can bite especially from dusk to dawn, it is key to use:
A vaccine for travelers is not normally available in Poland. There are vaccines against malaria (RTS,S/Mosquirix and R21/Matrix-M), but they are recommended mainly for children in countries with high transmission and implemented in public health programs in endemic regions.
Therefore, the basis of protection for travelers is chemoprophylaxis (prescription antimalarial drugs) selected for the country/region and the patient's situation (parasite resistance, age, pregnancy, comorbidities, length of stay). Most often used are, among others:
In some situations, a doctor may also discuss emergency standby treatment (SBET), but this always requires individual recommendations.
Important: drugs do not give 100% protection, so we always combine them with protection against bites.
Malaria is a tropical disease that can start "innocently", but in severe form can be life-threatening. People going to Sub-Saharan Africa and other endemic areas should take it into account the most.
Since there is no routinely available vaccination for travelers in Poland, it is crucial to combine chemoprophylaxis and strong protection against mosquitoes.
It is best to report to travel medicine or a pharmacy vaccination point 4–6 weeks before departure (and if the trip is "last minute" — it is still worth it, because some drug regimens can be implemented even 1–2 days before travel) to obtain a prescription for medicines.