Photo by Katharina Burri

Most popular vacation destinations are in locations with warm weather, and understandably so! Who would rather bundle up and be cold when you could relax in the sun’s warmth and go swimming?

However, warm weather also brings along mosquitos, especially humid heat, and personally, mosquitos bring to mind the appearance of ten mosquito bites after being outside for only a few minutes in the summer. It’s certainly hard to enjoy the warm weather when mosquitos make a meal of you, leaving you with red bumps and constant itching!

Aside from the incessant itch that won’t go away, though, there is another thing to worry about with mosquito bites: malaria.

What Is Malaria?

Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects mosquitos. So, when a mosquito with malaria bites you, it can transmit the parasite to you. As if a regular mosquito bite isn’t enough!

It’s not just any mosquito, though; malaria can only be transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito, and they bite from dusk to dawn. And even then, they have to first contract malaria by biting an infected person.

Because the malaria parasite infects red blood cells, it can also be transmitted through:

• blood transfusions
• shared needles or syringes contaminated with malaria
• organ transplants
• or from mother to unborn child before or during childbirth
  
  

So, the mosquito is not the only culprit of malaria. Even more, malaria can sometimes be fatal. So, it is vital to be aware of the symptoms, where malaria transmission most often occurs, and what you can do to prevent it.

The History of Malaria

Unfortunately, the history of malaria is long, mainly because of how challenging it is to try and completely eradicate it. The malaria parasite is a clever little thing and quickly adapts and changes forms once it infects someone. Because of this, malaria has been around for thousands of years. Depictions of malaria were found on clay tablets from Mesopotamia from 8000 to 2000 BC! Famous authors, such as Homer and Aristotle, also mentioned malaria in their works. Historians even speculate that the deadliest form of malaria, called falciparum malaria, contributed to the fall of Rome. Even now 40% of the world’s population still lives in areas where malaria transmission occurs.

The name malaria comes from mal’aria, which means “bad air.” We now know that malaria does not spread through the air, but the name stuck. It wasn’t until 1897 when mosquitos were first considered in relationship to malaria, and by 1902 we knew how malaria grows and multiplies in the mosquito once ingested through blood.

Just like our understanding of malaria has changed drastically, so have the methods of treating it (sort of). Before the development of anti-malarial drugs, natural preventative methods were used. Quinine is a pharmaceutical compound that comes from the bitter bark of a type of high-altitude tree native to South America. Treatment with this bark was first observed in the 1600s. In the 1820s, quinine was isolated from the bark and became a favorite therapy for fevers throughout the world.

Despite its long history, quinine is still an effective malaria treatment to this day!

Even more interesting, though, is that the gin and tonic drink stems from this treatment. Quinine was typically drunk in tonic water, but it had a bitter taste. To make the drink easier to get down, Indian officers in the early 1800s added a mixture of water, gin, sugar, and lime, creating what we now call the gin and tonic. And yes, tonic waters still have quinine in them, although it’s typically in a small amount.

Symptoms of Malaria

Malaria infection can cause someone to get very sick, with symptoms that include:

• fever
• chills
• headache
• tiredness
• muscle aches
  
  

It’s important to note that while malaria can be spread from one person to another, it’s not contagious in the way the cold or flu is. Malaria only spreads when infected blood comes in contact with your blood. So, sitting next to someone with malaria will not transmit the disease to you.

Malaria symptoms typically appear ten days to 4 weeks after infection, but sometimes it can take up to a few months, which can make tracking the source of the infection challenging. Therefore, if you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms after traveling to a malaria risk area, whether immediately or months after your trip, you should see a doctor at once. It is crucial to make the diagnosis quickly with a blood test so that the necessary treatment can be started immediately to prevent complications.

Malaria Risk Areas

Malaria is most common in warmer regions, including tropical and subtropical countries. This is because the Anopheles mosquito thrives on high temperatures. Who thought you would ever have something in common with a mosquito!

To be safe, it’s recommended to check if your travel location is on Healthy Travel’s risk areas list. If you are traveling to a high-risk area, take extra care to prevent malaria.

How To Prevent Malaria

It is crucial to be adequately prepared when traveling to an area at high risk of malaria transmission. The following three tips are the best ways to prevent mosquito bites and malaria infection, and additional tips can be found at Healthy Travel.

Antimalarial Drugs

One method of preventing malaria is to take antimalarial drugs. They are started before travel to prepare the body for the trip, and where you travel can impact the type of medicine you take. Children can also take antimalarial drugs, but they may take a different type and at a different dose, so be sure to consult with us prior to travelling with children. So be sure to consult with us prior to travelling with children.

Mosquito Repellent With DEET

While antimalarial drugs offer internal protection, spraying mosquito repellent on all exposed skin offers an external form of protection. However, make sure you use mosquito repellent with diethyltoluamide (DEET) to provide the best protection.

Cover Up

The more skin you have exposed, the better your chances of being bitten by a mosquito. So, be sure to cover up your skin with long sleeves, socks and long pants at night (make sure these are treated with an insectizidal spray). 

At night, sleep protected under a mosquito net or with air conditioning  running and closed windows.

Protect Yourself from Malaria

The earlier you get treatment for malaria, the better. If you are currently, or have been, in a place at malaria risk and feel sick or have a fever, seek immediate medical attention. Malaria treatment involves prescription drugs, and using the right drugs can cure you of malaria.

The history of malaria is fascinating because it has been around for so long, and has shaped many aspects of modern society (we’re looking at you, gin and tonic). However, looking at the history of malaria is comforting because it allows us to understand just how far we’ve come. We now know much more about the disease, its transmission, and its treatment.

If you would like more information on safely traveling to locations with high malaria transmission, visit Healthy Travel.

References

1. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Economics of Antimalarial Drugs; Arrow KJ, Panosian C, Gelband H, editors. Saving Lives, Buying Time: Economics of Malaria Drugs in an Age of Resistance. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 5, A Brief History of Malaria. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215638/
2. Malaria Fact Sheet . (2022). Retrieved 2 May 2022, from https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/malaria.aspx
3. Health risks – HealthyTravel.ch. (2022). Retrieved 2 May 2022, from https://www.healthytravel.ch/health-risks/