It takes only one bite from an infected mosquito to acquire the disease, so travellers to countries where malaria occurs should take adequate precautions.
It is wise to have mosquito netting on the doors and windows of houses and hotels, netting over the bed and to use insect repellent on exposed skin.
Most of these need to be replenished every two to three hours. Long sleeves and trousers should be worn and it is also advisable to stay indoors at night as the mosquito bites only at night.
Chloroquine is the most widely used drug for the prophylaxis of malaria. Two tablets are taken on one day each week and this is continued all the time in the malarious area and for four weeks on leaving the area.
Unfortunately, the falciparum strain of Plasmodium has developed resistance to chloroquine in some countries. This has happened in some parts of Africa, and in most parts of the Pacific and Papua New Guinea and other drugs for prevention may now be required.
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