How to Prevent Malaria in 2025: Travel-Safe, Science-Backed Strategies That Work

Why Malaria Prevention Matters for Travelers

Every year millions of U.S. residents journey to countries where malaria is endemic – most commonly sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Central and South America, Asia, and the Pacific​cdc.gov. In fact, about 2,000 malaria cases are diagnosed in the U.S. annually, nearly all in returned travelers​cdc.gov​wwwnc.cdc.gov. Malaria is transmitted by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, and there is no vaccine approved for travelers as of 2025​cdc.gov​who.int. The good news is that malaria is largely preventable: using antimalarial medications plus personal and community mosquito-control measures can dramatically cut your risk. CDC and WHO experts emphasize that “you can prevent malaria when travelling in areas where malaria spreads by taking medications, called antimalarials, and preventing mosquito bites”​cdc.gov. Before you travel, learn about the specific malaria risk in your destination and plan accordingly. For example, high-risk regions include tropical Africa (94% of global cases, 95% of deaths​africa.businessinsider.com​africa.businessinsider.com), parts of Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, and parts of Latin America.

Assessing Your Malaria Risk

Malaria transmission varies widely by location, season, and even neighborhood. Travelers should consult the CDC’s Yellow Book or malaria information by country to see if any part of a destination has ongoing transmission​cdc.gov. Risk factors include rural travel, jungle trekking, visiting friends and relatives (VFR travelers), staying in open-air accommodations, and traveling during rainy seasons. Even if you grew up in a malaria-endemic country, your immunity wanes after leaving – so take the same precautions as everyone else​cdc.gov. A 2024 CDC update notes that 93% of U.S. malaria cases with known origin come from Africa, and 76% of cases were among those visiting friends and relatives​wwwnc.cdc.gov. Bottom line: never assume you’re invulnerable. If malaria is present in any part of your itinerary, plan preventive steps.

Travel Medications (Chemoprophylaxis)

No antimalarial is 100% effective alone, so chemoprophylaxis should always be paired with bite prevention measures​wwwnc.cdc.gov. The choice of drug depends on destination and personal factors (e.g. pregnancy, medical history). CDC and travel-health experts recommend discussing options with a clinician 4–6 weeks before travel. Common prophylaxis options include:
Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone): A daily pill taken starting 1–2 days before travel, throughout your stay, and 7 days after leaving. It’s well-tolerated and safe for children and pregnant women (no doxycycline or tafenoquine in pregnancy).
Doxycycline: A cheap, daily antibiotic started 1–2 days before, continued during, and 4 weeks after travel. Also helps prevent tick-borne diseases, but cannot be used if you are pregnant or <8 years old.

Mefloquine (Lariam): A weekly pill started ~2 weeks before travel and continued for 4 weeks after. Avoid if you have certain psychiatric disorders or drug-resistant malaria concerns (check current CDC advice).

Primaquine or Tafenoquine (Krintafel/Arakoda): These 8-aminoquinolines target liver-stage parasites. Primaquine is taken daily (1–2 days before to 7 days after travel) and requires screening for G6PD deficiency. Tafenoquine (FDA-approved 2018 as Arakoda) can be dosed once weekly after an initial loading week​wwwnc.cdc.gov. Because tafenoquine stays in the body long (half-life ~16 days), only a single dose is needed 1 week after travel. Importantly, both primaquine and tafenoquine can cause severe anemia in people with G6PD deficiency, so testing is mandatory prior to use​wwwnc.cdc.gov.

Chloroquine/Chloroquine-Proguanil: Once a mainstay, now only effective in a few countries with sensitive parasites (e.g. some parts of Central America or the Caribbean). In most malarious regions, Plasmodium falciparum is chloroquine-resistant.
Always follow CDC or local guidance for your route – some regions now also have partial resistance to certain drugs. For example, if only low transmission exists, CDC may even recommend bite prevention alone without medication​cdc.gov. Take any prescribed prophylactic exactly as directed, including the post-travel doses – stopping early dramatically reduces protection​cdc.gov​wwwnc.cdc.gov.

If fever or flu-like illness develops in travel or up to a year after return, seek medical attention and mention your travel. Malaria is life-threatening if untreated, but preventable with proper chemoprophylaxis and vigilance.

Personal Protective Measures:

Repellents, Nets, and Clothing
Even with drugs on board, avoiding mosquito bites is critical​cdc.gov​cdc.gov. CDC and WHO strongly recommend using a layered approach:
EPA-registered insect repellents. Use products containing DEET, Picaridin (Icaridin), IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), PMD or 2-undecanone​cdc.gov. DEET (30–50%) is often cited as the gold standard. Reapply per label. These repellents have proven efficacy and safety when used properly.
Permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Treat boots, pants, socks, and tents with 0.5% permethrin spray (or buy pre-treated clothing). Do not spray permethrin on skin. Treated fabric remains protective through many washes. This kills mosquitoes on contact.
Long clothing and physical barriers. Wear loose-fitting long sleeves and pants, especially at dawn/dusk when mosquitoes feed​cdc.gov. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots. If indoors, keep windows/doors closed or covered with intact screens. Use air conditioning when available – cool, dry air is hostile to mosquitoes​cdc.gov.
Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs). Sleep under a treated mosquito net if you will be sleeping in an unscreened room or tent​cdc.gov. Nets reduce nighttime bites dramatically. For example, a doctor in Papua, Indonesia, demonstrates an ITN in use​
. Studies show that ITNs and indoor spraying together have a profound impact: from 2000–2015, indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaigns in Africa averted an estimated 10% of 633 million expected cases​cdc.gov.

Putting it together: one CDC prevention guide recommends mosquito-avoidance even when on prophylaxis​cdc.gov. Use spatial repellents or coils if needed, but rely primarily on EPA-approved repellents. Avoid strong perfumes or bright colors that attract mosquitoes. Always check accommodations for leaks in screens or gaps around doors; report issues or request alternative lodging if needed.

Community and Environmental Strategies: IRS and Source Control

Long-term malaria control relies on community measures. For example, Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) – coating indoor walls with insecticide – was a centerpiece of past eradication efforts and is still widely used​cdc.gov​cdc.gov. During 1955–1969, the Global Malaria Eradication Program used DDT-based IRS to eliminate malaria in Europe and North America​cdc.gov. However, environmental concerns (DDT persistence) and mosquito resistance forced programs to shift to newer insecticides​cdc.gov. Today, IRS campaigns (often using pyrethroids or newer compounds) target mosquito resting sites inside homes. CDC notes that to be effective, >80% of homes in a community must be sprayed​cdc.gov. In practice, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative and partners support IRS in African countries alongside bed net distribution.

As a traveler, you’ll see the results of these measures: many lodges and villages in endemic areas install screens or do IRS. While DDT is no longer widely used (and sprayed only indoors in special cases), the myth that “reintroducing DDT everywhere will solve malaria” is oversimplified. In fact, CDC history notes that concerns about DDT’s environmental impact and growing resistance led to its reduced use​cdc.gov. Modern control relies on safer insecticides, combined with larval control (draining stagnant water) and community education. Even travelers can pitch in: empty water containers, cover wells, and avoid letting water stagnate around your lodgings to cut mosquito breeding sites.

Vaccines and New Tools on the Horizon
As of 2025, no malaria vaccine is approved for travelers. (Children in endemic countries do have new options: WHO has recommended two vaccines, RTS,S and the newer R21/Matrix-M, for routine immunization of African children​who.int.) But for travelers, protection remains based on drugs and bites prevention. Researchers are actively developing vaccines and innovative solutions (like genetically modified mosquitoes), but those are still in trials. Scientists also caution that claims of herbal “mosquito repellents” (garlic pills, vitamin B) or electronic mats are unsupported by evidence. Stick to proven methods: CDC and WHO guidelines, not untested remedies.

Debunking Common Myths about Malaria
A few persistent myths can put travelers at risk:
“DDT is a silver bullet.” True, DDT sprayed indoors was pivotal in mid-20th-century eradication campaigns​cdc.gov. But it’s no cure-all today. DDT is banned for general use in most countries because it accumulates in the food chain and can harm wildlife and human health. WHO permits limited indoor spraying of DDT only where absolutely needed, favoring safer alternatives elsewhere.
“Herbal or folk remedies prevent malaria.” No. Neither eating garlic, consuming vitamin B, nor taking homeopathic drugs will keep mosquitoes away or kill malaria parasites. Only EPA-approved repellents and prescribed prophylactic drugs have proven efficacy​cdc.gov​wwwnc.cdc.gov.
“I got stuck with one bite years ago; I’m immune now.” Not true. Even previous residents of endemic areas lose immunity quickly after moving away​cdc.gov. Travelers should use all precautions regardless of past exposure.
“It’s dry season, so no malaria.” Malaria can occur year-round in many regions. Some parts of Africa or Asia have perennial transmission. Check up-to-date CDC/WHO maps – rain is a factor, but breeding can happen in irrigation canals and microhabitats anytime there’s water.
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Global Malaria Eradication Efforts: Progress and Challenges

On the world stage, progress against malaria has slowed in recent years. WHO reports that after decades of decline, global malaria cases rose to ~249 million in 2022, about 7% higher than pre-pandemic levels​who.int​africa.businessinsider.com. In 2023, WHO counted roughly 263 million cases and 597,000 deaths worldwide​wwwnc.cdc.gov. Africa shoulders almost the entire burden: it has ~94% of cases and 95% of deaths​africa.businessinsider.com. Between 2019 and 2022, disrupted healthcare (due to COVID-19) led to a rise from ~576,000 deaths (2019) to ~608,000 (2022)​africa.businessinsider.com.
Climate change now looms as a new threat. WHO’s 2023 report highlighted how warming, flooding, and changing rains can expand mosquito habitats​who.int​africa.businessinsider.com. For example, Pakistan’s 2022 floods triggered a five-fold spike in cases​who.int. Conflict, funding gaps, and insecticide/drug resistance also complicate eradication. On the plus side, a few countries report zero cases: in 2022 WHO noted Azerbaijan, Belize, Tajikistan (certified malaria-free), plus Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan and Suriname (zero indigenous cases)​africa.businessinsider.com. China was certified malaria-free in 2021.  —but many regions still lack universal access to bed nets, diagnostics, and treatment.
For travelers, the takeaway is that malaria remains a real, urgent risk in many destinations. Public health leaders (e.g. CDC, WHO, Gates Foundation) stress layered prevention and global investment. The dream of eradication is far off – it requires new tools (vaccines, gene drives), sustained funding, and global cooperation. Meanwhile, each traveler’s vigilance contributes to beating malaria one bite at a time.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Malaria is preventable, but only if we plan and act. Before your trip, consult CDC/WHO resources and a travel clinic. Pack and take the right antimalarial medication for your destination, and use it exactly as prescribed – starting before you fly and finishing after you return​cdc.gov. Never forgo bite prevention: apply EPA-approved repellent daily​cdc.gov, dress in long sleeves and pants, and sleep under an insecticide-treated net​cdc.gov whenever possible. Repair broken screens and consider indoor spraying in high-risk lodgings. Remember that no prevention is foolproof​wwwnc.cdc.gov; if you develop fever during or up to a year after travel, get tested for malaria right away.
By combining pharmacological and practical strategies, travelers can reduce malaria risk by well over 90%. As CDC emphasizes, “avoid mosquito bites even if you are taking medications”​cdc.gov. Stay informed on regional malaria updates, and ignore unproven “cures.” Together with global public health efforts, these measures protect individual travelers and help drive down malaria worldwide.
Image & Infographic Suggestions: A map highlighting malaria-endemic regions; photos of travelers using repellent or nets; an infographic on the malaria life cycle and prevention steps.
Related Articles: For more on travel health, see our guides on Traveler Vaccines and Malaria by Country, Preventing Dengue and Zika, and Yellow Fever Risk and Prevention.
Sources: CDC Travelers’ Health and Malaria Prevention guides​cdc.gov​cdc.gov​wwwnc.cdc.gov​wwwnc.cdc.gov, WHO World Malaria Reports​who.int​africa.businessinsider.com​africa.businessinsider.com​who.int, and other public health references.
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