Key takeaways

The rise in malaria cases among Americans is attributed to increased travel to malarial countries without taking preventive measures.
Pre-treating clothes with permethrin spray and taking prescribed antimalarial medication are key steps in preventing malaria when traveling abroad.
Using bug spray, ensuring accommodations are mosquito-proof, and not assuming immunity based on previous residence in a malarial area are crucial for prevention.
Post-travel, it’s important to be vigilant for symptoms of malaria for up to a year, and to seek medical care immediately if symptoms develop.

Every year, roughly 1,500 people in the United States are hospitalized with malaria—even though the disease is eradicated here. In 2016, the U.S. reached the highest rate of malaria incidences since 1972. And the numbers have continued to go up every year.

What’s causing this trend? It’s pretty simple, actually. The rise in malaria cases coincides with a larger number of American citizens traveling to malarial countries without using preventive measures to avoid infection before it happens.

Luckily, there are some easy malaria prevention steps you can take before you travel to avoid contracting malaria from pesky mosquitoes while you’re abroad.

How to prevent malaria while traveling

1. Pre-treat your clothes with a permethrin spray before you pack.

You can find various brands at Walmart, Amazon, or outdoor equipment stores such as REI. Depending on the type you purchase, the treatment can repel mosquitoes and other bugs for several weeks—even after washing your clothes.

2. Get malaria prevention medication.

Head to a travel clinic or your family doctor. During your visit, the healthcare professional will discuss your choices for chemoprophylaxis, aka antimalarial medication, says Vicki Sowards, a registered nurse and the director of clinical resources at Passport Health. The type of medication you are given is based on your medical history and travel plans.

3. Be sure to take your medication as it was prescribed.

Otherwise, it may not be effective. From my experience, if you take the pills with milk or a meal, they’re easier on your stomach.

4. Avoid mosquitoes.

During your travels, make sure to use bug spray, especially at dusk and dawn, Sowards advises. Take stock of your surroundings, too. You’ll want to make sure you have a mosquito net for your bed, your room is air conditioned, and the window screens don’t have any holes.

5. Don’t rely on “immunity.”

And remember: Just because you once lived in a malarial area, that doesn’t mean you are immune.

“Travelers who are visiting family and relatives tend to not prepare for or take malaria chemoprophylaxis,” Sowards says. “They lived in the area previously, [so] they feel they are immune.”

6. Check in with a physician.

If you’re staying for a long time, make sure you regularly see a doctor. The embassy or consulate can help find a healthcare provider that’s right for you.

Post-trip, it’s important to stay vigilant with malaria prevention as malaria can manifest up to a year after you get home.

“If you develop a fever up to one year after your travel and have no other reason for it, seek medical care ASAP,” Sowards warns. “Be sure to let the medical provider know that you did travel to a malarial area. Other diseases that can be contracted by mosquitoes can cause fever, so testing is needed for a definitive diagnosis.”

Other symptoms to look out for include chills, nausea, headaches, vomiting, fatigue, muscle pain, a cough, sweating, and chest or abdominal pain.

Bottom line: It’s much easier to prevent getting ill in the first place, than to deal with malaria when you get home.