My husband and I will be traveling in mid-December. We are going as far north as Arenal and will be stopping in Poas area on the way back to Heredia before traveling further south (Osa Peninsula & rafting on Rio Pacuare). I've checked the CDC website about areas where malaria is a potential problem and the Arenal/Heredia area seems to be in that category. We'll probably opt to take an anti-malaria drug but am not sure which one we should take. CDC seems to recommend chloroquine but our doctor has told us that malarone, which is a newer one, doesn't have to be taken for as long a period after you are home. Has anyone had experience with one or the other of these or has gotten advice from their own doctors? Thanks for the help!

I do not think Malaria prevention is normally needed for Costa Rica ? It is obviously a personal decision , and depends on your doctor . But most here do not use it .

Been travelling to Costa Rica and Panama (including the Darien) since the early 70's - never took malaria prophylaxis RX.
M (MD: NBME;ABIM;ABNM;ABR)

Not needed, especially to the tourist areas you are going. But hey if it makes you feel better...

Malarone is recommended in areas where the mosquitos are resistant to Chloroqine. To avoid resistance, you should take the Chlorquine. Sort of like you should take Penicillin for strep throat, not one of the big guns, such as Cipro. (I don't even know if strep is sensitive to Cipro, just using that as an example.)

We did not take antimalarial meds on our first trip to Costa Rica in 2003. But this trip (in 12 days!!! yeah!) we are going to. I know that most travelers to CR don't bother with the meds. It has been an extremely wet season there this year and based on that and the fact that we will be in the Guanacaste region our doctor recommended the use of chloroquine. We may be being over cautious, but we have our children with us, and malaria is a serious, life threatening illness. I have rheumatoid arthritis and one of my daily medicines is plaquinil, same compound as cholorquine, and I can tell you that I have personally had no adverse side effects from the compound. The dosage for malaria protection is one pill/wk starting one week before you are in country and then 3-4 wks. after you return. There is also dengue fever in country now - no vaccine or preventative, so you'll need DEET. On our first trip (in late Dec) I brought a huge supply of bug repellent and we never saw a mosquito! Have a great trip. Ruth in Maine.