What to watch for after your trip and when to seek medical attention.
See a doctor promptly if you experience any of the following within 12 months of returning from overseas travel — even if symptoms appear weeks or months after your return:
Fever: Any fever after returning from a malaria-risk area is a medical emergency. Go to a hospital emergency department immediately — don't wait for a GP appointment. Malaria can be fatal within days if untreated.
Persistent diarrhoea: Travellers' diarrhoea that lasts more than a few days, contains blood, or is accompanied by fever. Parasitic infections like giardia can persist for weeks.
Skin problems: Unusual rashes, sores that won't heal, insect bites that become infected, or any skin changes you didn't have before travel.
Respiratory symptoms: Persistent cough, difficulty breathing, or chest pain — especially if you visited areas with TB risk.
Fatigue and weight loss: Unexplained fatigue, weight loss, or night sweats that persist after returning.
Always inform your doctor about your travel history, even if you think your symptoms are unrelated. Include: which countries you visited and when, rural vs urban areas, activities (trekking, swimming in freshwater, animal contact), whether you took malaria prophylaxis, any vaccinations received before travel, and whether you had any illness during the trip.
The most common post-travel infections include travellers' diarrhoea (usually bacterial or parasitic), dengue fever (onset 4-14 days after a mosquito bite), malaria (can present weeks to months after exposure), respiratory infections, and skin infections from insect bites or wounds. Most are treatable if diagnosed promptly.
Last updated: April 2026