Doxycycline for Malaria

Doxycycline is an antibiotic that effectively prevents and treats malaria. It kills the malaria parasite, preventing it from spreading and causing symptoms. It is available as a 100mg capsule that you take once daily.

It is an excellent option if you are travelling to an area resistant to the malaria treatment Chloroquine. This includes countries in Africa, Oceania and South America.

Doxycycline also treats and prevents several other conditions, including:

• skin, respiratory and dental infections
• acne
• rosacea
• pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Lyme disease
• infections from insect and animal bites
• sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

If you’re looking for STI treatment (e.g. chlamydia), please go to our Doxycycline for STIs page for more information. For any other type of infection, please consult your GP.

The bite of an infected mosquito spreads malaria. The parasite enters your bloodstream and causes malaria symptoms.

Doxycycline kills the parasite that causes an infection. It stops the proteins needed for the parasite to spread and cures and prevents the infection.

Doxycycline is an antibiotic, so you must take it correctly to ensure it works properly and to prevent side effects.

To prevent malaria:

• take one 100mg capsule once daily
• start taking it 1-2 days before arriving at your destination
• continue to take it for 4 weeks after leaving the malaria area

To treat malaria:

• take one 100mg capsule twice daily for 7 days
• must be taken alongside the antimalarial quinine

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for your next dose, however, skip the missed dose and continue from your next scheduled dose.

If you take too much, you should get medical advice, even if you feel fine.

Make sure you finish the complete course. Stopping early could increase the risk of infection. This is because the malaria parasite can lay dormant for many weeks and months in your body.

As well as taking medication, you must also take other measures to prevent malaria. This includes using insect repellants and mosquito nets.

Precautions

There are several precautions you should take whilst on Doxycycline.

• Do not drink alcohol with Doxycycline - It can reduce the effects of the medication and increase your risk of malaria.
• Avoid direct sunlight - this medicine can make you sensitive to sunlight and cause sunburn.
• It can cause stomach irritation - Drink a glass of milk with each capsule, take it long before bedtime, and whilst sitting or standing to avoid stomach problems.

Read the patient information leaflet for more information.

Doxycycline may not be safe for everyone. Before taking it, make sure to talk to your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following apply to you:

• have kidney or liver problems
• have SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus)
• have myasthenia gravis - a condition that causes muscle weakness

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not take this medicine. Ask your doctor for a different medicine.

Doxycycline can cause some side effects, but they are usually not serious and will go away after your body gets used to the medicine.

For a full list of side effects, please read the patient information leaflet.

It can react with other medicines. Some medicines can reduce Doxycycline’s effectiveness, such as:

• antacids (indigestion remedies), iron preparations, oral zinc or bismuth
• epilepsy medicines (e.g. phenytoin and carbamazepine)

In other cases, it can alter the effectiveness of other medicines, including:

• warfarin - to prevent blood clotting
• isotretinoin and tretinoin - for acne treatment
• penicillin antibiotics
• lithium
• ciclosporin

If you take any of these medicines, discuss it with your doctor before using Doxycycline.

Does Doxycycline affect the contraceptive pill?

Doctors used to believe that Doxycycline reduced the effectiveness of oral contraceptives such as the combined pill and the mini-pill. However, this is now outdated advice. You do not need to use additional contraception whilst on Doxycycline.

You can order Doxycycline online here at euroClinix. Our service is certified safe by the MHRA, GMC and GPhC. We offer a safe and secure ordering process, which includes an online consultation.

This involves a few short medical questions, which will be checked by one of our doctors. If it is safe for you to take this medication and can benefit from it, they will issue a prescription. Our pharmacy will then dispatch your treatment and you will receive it as soon as the next day.