G6PD and Malaria

Question: I have a G6PD and I’m traveling to Nigeria
They have told me that i have to get the vaccine
Can I get it or is there any alternative for it?

Answer: There is no commercially available vaccine for malaria so you should check with your medical practitioner to which vaccine he or she is referring.

If you have G6PD, you should be able to take most common forms of medication used to prevent malaria (such as Malarone or doxycycline), though of course only with a prescription from your doctor, who can advise you with respect to any potential interactions with other medication you may take or possible side-effects. The only medication you should avoid is primaquine – luckily, this is only normally used in cases of infection with P. vivax or P. ovale malaria, both of which are relatively rare in Nigeria (at least compared to P. falciparum, by far the most common kind of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa).

If you take appropriate other forms of malaria prophylaxis, and protect yourself from mosquitoes using repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing, and sleeping under a long-lasting insecticide-treated bednet, you should have a very low risk of contracting any form of malaria during your visit.