Understanding your risk, prophylaxis options, and how to protect yourself.
Malaria is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and fatigue. Without treatment, it can progress to severe illness and death within days.
There is no vaccine commercially available for travellers (though one exists for children in endemic areas). Prevention relies on antimalarial medication (prophylaxis) and mosquito bite avoidance.
The highest-risk destinations commonly visited by Australians include Papua New Guinea (risk throughout the country), East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda), West Africa (Ghana), and parts of Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Cambodia). India, Indonesia (eastern regions), and the Amazon basin in South America also carry significant risk.
Many popular tourist areas in Southeast Asia — including Bangkok, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore — have no or negligible malaria risk. Always check the specific risk for your itinerary, not just the country.
Three main antimalarial medications are prescribed in Australia:
Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone): Taken daily, starting 1-2 days before entering a risk area and continuing for 7 days after leaving. Fewest side effects for most people. Can be expensive for long trips.
Doxycycline: Taken daily, starting 1-2 days before and continuing for 4 weeks after leaving the risk area. More affordable for long trips. Can cause sun sensitivity and stomach upset. Not suitable during pregnancy or for children under 8.
Mefloquine (Lariam): Taken weekly, starting 2-3 weeks before and continuing for 4 weeks after. Convenient for long trips. Can cause vivid dreams, anxiety, and neuropsychiatric side effects in some people. Not suitable for everyone — discuss with your doctor.
Prophylaxis alone isn't enough. Combine medication with bite prevention: use DEET-based insect repellent (at least 20% concentration), sleep under insecticide-treated bed nets, wear long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn (when Anopheles mosquitoes are most active), and use mosquito coils or plug-in repellents in your room.
If you develop fever, chills, or flu-like symptoms during or after travel to a malaria-risk area (even up to 12 months later), seek medical attention immediately. Tell the doctor about your travel history. A blood test can diagnose malaria quickly. Early treatment is critical — delays can be fatal.
Last updated: April 2026