Malaria Risk Assessment for Travelers The risk for a traveler
contracting malaria differs substantially from region to region
and from traveler to traveler, even within a single country,
based upon travelers’ behaviors and circumstances. There is no
accepted method of quantifying the risk and no numerical value
for a risk threshold beyond which chemoprophylaxis is or is not
recommended. Thus experience and judgment are required in
assessing the factors described below to arrive at the best
prevention strategy for the individual traveler. A travel or
tropical medicine specialist can be an excellent source of
guidance when making these decisions. Depending on level of
risk, it may be appropriate to recommend no specific
interventions, mosquito avoidance measures only, or mosquito
avoidance measures plus chemoprophylaxis. For the risk-averse
traveler, remember that even in low risk situations, it only
takes one bite from an infective female Anopheles mosquito to
transmit malaria. Questions to Ask When Assessing