Mefloquine for malaria prevention

Mefloquine tablets help to protect you from malaria when you travel to areas where this can be a problem. Malaria is a serious infection. It is common in tropical countries such as parts of Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Middle East. Malaria is a disease which is passed on to humans by infected mosquitoes. A parasite called plasmodium lives inside the stomachs of infected female mosquitoes and is passed on to humans by a bite. Mefloquine works by killing the parasites passed into your body from the bites of the infected mosquitoes.

Because the pattern of malaria varies with the part of the world you are travelling to, as well as the season and the type of activity you have planned, you should always obtain the latest advice about malaria prevention from your doctor, pharmacist or travel organiser. A backpacking trip may well require different preventative measures against malaria to those needed for a business trip to a city.

Mefloquine tablets are not available on the NHS, although you will require a prescription from a doctor to obtain them. You will be given a private (non-NHS) prescription to take to your local pharmacy, and you will be asked to pay for the tablets when they are supplied.

Mefloquine can sometimes be given to treat malaria in people who have become infected. This leaflet does not contain information about this, but your doctor can give you more information if you have been prescribed it for this reason.