Doxycycline or Atovaquone/proguanil
Dosage schedule
Antimalarial |
Dose |
Schedule |
Long-term travel |
Doxycycline |
1 x 100mg Doxycycline tablet/capsule daily. |
Take one to two days before travel to, throughout stay in and for four weeks after leaving endemic area. |
Can be taken for up to two years and possibly longer if considered necessary. |
OR |
Atovaquone/proguanil |
1 x (250mg/100mg) Atovaquone/proguanil tablet daily. |
Take one to two days before travel to, throughout stay in and for seven days after leaving endemic area. |
Can be taken for up to one year and possibly longer if considered necessary.However, individual SPCs must be checked carefully as licensed treatment periods may vary. |
Children’s doses
Calculate the dose by weight in kilograms (kg) rather than by the age for infants and children. The following doses are based on guidelines from Public Health England Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention (ACMP) and may differ from doses in patient information leaflets (PILs)/SPCs (off-licence doses should not be sold, but must be prescribed). Contact the NPA Pharmacy Services team for further advice.
It is preferable to avoid crushing tablets; however, chloroquine, proguanil, mefloquine and atovaquone/proguanil tablets may be crushed and mixed with jam, honey, pasteurised yoghurt or similar for ease of administration to young children. Tablets may be cut using tablet cutters where necessary. Crushing, cutting or mixing tablets with foods/drinks may be off-licence, therefore, individual SPCs should be checked and specific manufacturers should be contacted.
Weight |
Doxycycline
once daily |
Under 6.0kg |
Not recommended |
6.0–9.9kg |
Not recommended |
10.0–15.9kg |
Not recommended |
16–24.9kg |
Not recommended |
25.0–44.9kg |
From 12 years: 1 capsule/tablet |
45kg and over |
1 capsule/tablet |
|
OR |
Weight |
Atovaquone/proguanil
once daily |
5.0 – 7.9kg |
½ Malarone paediatric tablet |
8.0 – 9.9kg |
¾ Malarone paediatric tablet |
10.0 – 19.9kg |
1 Malarone paediatric tablet |
20.0 – 29.0kg |
2 Malarone paediatric tabletsc |
30.0 – 39.9kg |
3 Malarone paediatric tablets |
> 40kg |
4 Malarone paediatric tablets or 1 adult tablet |