Malaria is a disease spread by mosquitoes that can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated quickly, so prevention is really important. Chemoprophylaxis – taking medication to try and stop malaria developing if bitten by an infected mosquito – is valuable when travelling to certain places, but regimens vary, so up to date advice should be sought. Bite prevention measures should also be taken, including:

• Covering exposed skin by wearing long sleeves and trousers, particularly at times of the day when insects are more active, i.e. dawn and dusk
• Wearing shoes when outdoors to avoid treading on insects
• Applying insect repellent to exposed skin, ideally a product containing diethyltoluamide (DEET)
• Keeping doors and windows closed and using nets around beds if necessary
• Avoiding strongly perfumed toiletries as these can attract insects.

Signposting

Country-specific advice, particularly important for vaccinations and malaria, can be obtained from:

• Fit for travel
• Travel health pro
• Gov UK.

More general advice on travel health is available via:

• Your Counter Intelligence Plus training guide
• The NHS.