Malaria is a concern for travelers who venture where the Andes
slope into the Amazon below about 1,500 meters. There is a much
greater chance of getting malaria in the jungle of northern
Peru, such as in the surroundings of Tarapoto, the Reserva
Nacional Pacaya Samiria, or Iquitos, than there is in the
southern jungle of Parque Nacional Manu and Puerto Maldonado
area. The four species of parasite that cause malaria are all
transmitted by a female mosquito, which bites most frequently at
dawn and dusk. Symptoms include chills, sweats, headaches,
nausea, diarrhea, and especially spiking fevers. We recommend
that travelers heading to the Amazon protect themselves from
mosquito bites and take antimalarial medicines. Peru’s
mosquitoes, affectionately known as the Bolivian air force, have
developed a resistance to chloroquine, the traditional malaria
medicine. So that leaves three medicines available to travelers:
Mefloquine is taken weekly both before and after leaving the
jungle, but it has a host of side effects