LAST month included Malaria Awareness Week when local pharmacies, health centres and GPs got together to promote widespread knowledge of this disease.

But for those of you who didn't have access to material on the subject of malaria, the following health advice should make you 'malaria aware'.

In the UK there are approximately 2,000 cases of imported malaria each year. In 2003 there were exactly 1,722 cases and in 2002 there were nine deaths as a result.

During Malaria Awareness Week in the UK last year, it was found that thousands of UK travellers are putting their lives at risk by ignoring Travel Health Advice about the deadly threat of malaria.

It was a popular view before 1897 that malaria was caused by contaminated air or through infected water.

This disease was common in England between the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. Shakespeare called it the 'ague' and mentioned it in eight of his plays.

Malaria is prevalent in large areas of Africa, Central and South America, the Indian sub continent, South East Asia and the Middle East. There are 300-500 million new cases of malaria each year with one to two million deaths from malaria annually, worldwide.

This disease is acquired by a bite from the infected Anopheles Mosquito. It is the female of this species that does the biting.

If you are bitten by the malaria mosquito, what actually happens is that she takes from you a 'suck' of blood to feed her eggs. In doing so, she drops in some malaria parasites which go straight into your blood flow or into your liver multiplying at a fast rate.

By day seven the bitten victim will become very ill and quickly develop the malaria disease. People who get malaria are people who don't take any precautions, whether that be malaria tablets or use of bite avoidance measures, or they don't complete the medication they were given prior to their holiday.

In planning your trip abroad, you should consider the country/countries you are visiting and enquire as to whether they are malaria risk areas. Once you are certain of where you are travelling to, you should consult your GP, Travel Clinic or Practice Nurse as they are in the best position to inform you of your requirements.

Both genders of mosquitoes bite, but in the case of malaria, it is the female mosquito who bites and requires a suck of blood. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, which they can detect with their antennae. They are also attracted by heat and movement.

Mosquitoes breed in water and in damp soil and when they finally come to adult stage of life, they rest for a day or two to completely dry out their wings.

The entirety of a mosquito's life cycle ranges from 10 to 20 days.

How do you protect yourself from malaria then?

The easiest way to protect yourself is to remember the ABCD of Malaria.

A - Awareness of the risk of Malaria. Make sure you know the chance of malaria risk in the country you are visiting. Are you travelling to Central and South America, Africa, the Indian sub continent, South East Asia and the Middle East? If so contact your GP about medication.

B - Bite Avoidance. Many mosquitoes bite between dusk and dawn, so being indoors can reduce the number of bites. Wear long sleeve tops, trousers. It's best to wear white or light coloured clothing and it's better to have loose rather than tightfitting outfits.

Avoid wearing perfumes, aftershaves and fragrant lotions. If possible sleep in air-conditioned accommodation. Keep windows, window screens and fine curtains closed from mid afternoon onwards.

If you are using a mosquito net, ensure it is intact and sufficiently impregnated with a deterrent or mosquito killer.

Try to avoid making visits to or staying near lakes, ponds or rivers. These can be breeding areas for mosquitoes.

Use insect repellents. There are many brands on the market and DEET based ones are considered the most effective.

A low percentage of DEET is best on the skin, a higher concentration is advisable on clothing.

Concentration of 20 per cent DEET offers protection for one to three hours. Concentrations of 30 per cent offers protection for six hours. Using DEET stronger than 50 per cent is not recommended.

Around 20 per cent is advisable for use on children and babies but should not be used on babies younger than two months old. Repellents should be re-applied regularly.

Over the years there have been concerns regarding the safety and toxicity of DEET so here are some important guidelines to keep to:

Use only on exposed areas of skin, wash of with soap and water once repellent is no longer needed, don't apply to cuts, grazes or irritated skin. If using a spray, don't spray on your face. Sunscreens that have a repellent should be avoided as it may encourage excess use of DEET.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions always.

C - Chemoprophylaxis. This long word means medication/tablets to be taken to prevent you getting malaria.

It is simply sufficient but of paramount importance to take your malaria tablets. Your GP will prescribe for you the correct medication for the country/countries you are visiting.
You must comply with the instructions. You should take your tablets before you travel, all the time you are away and up to four weeks after you return home.

Take care with your tablets. Some are taken once a week, some are taken once a day so don't get mixed up.

D - Diagnosis. Once you are home from your trip abroad, you should see your GP if you have flu-like symptoms that don't seem to go away.

A simple blood test together with details of the type of holiday you had will help your doctor decide if you have malaria or not.

Following ABCD of malaria protection should ensure you have a safe holiday.

For more information and advice, log on to the following health websites: http://www.malariaandhealth.comwww.malariaandhealth.com.