Assessment of returning travellers with fever

Millions of people travel to the tropics each year and a significant minority of them become ill, either during their stay, or shortly after their return. Most have mild, self-limiting illnesses, but a few will have a life-threatening condition. This article outlines how to evaluate fever in the returning traveller and discusses important infection control and public health measures. A detailed travel history, which takes into account travel destinations, specific activities and risk factors in relation to the onset of symptoms, is essential for constructing a comprehensive list of differential diagnoses and guiding appropriate investigations. Importantly, all travellers returning from the tropics with a fever should be investigated for malaria, even if their return was 3 months ago or longer.