Brazil

Latest update: 18 June 2026 - Authors: Mieke Croughs, Ula Maniewski

This page contains the main health risks for travellers and general recommendations. Travel conditions are different for everyone and each patient's health condition varies. Discuss your trip during a travel consultation with your doctor or in a travel clinic, preferably six to eight weeks before departure.

Register your trip and read the information about security, healthcare and other practical aspects on the FPS Foreign Affairs website.

Important health risks

High in the Amazon basin in some areas of the states Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Roraima as well as partial areas in the northeast and southwest of Pará state. 
- Prevention: mosquito-repellent measures and preventive malaria tablets.

Moderate:
- in most areas of the states of Amapá, Pará, and Rondônia, and the western part of Mato Grosso.
- in parts of Amazonas state.
- in the city centers of Boa Vista, Manaus, and Porto Velho.
- on overnight river cruises on large ships in high risk areas.
  - Prevention: mosquito-repellent measures. sometimes in combination wih preventive malaria tablets for people with an increased risk.

Low in the rest of the country, including the Pantanal, Iguaçu Falls, and the city centers of Santarém, Macapá, and Manaus.
- Prevention: mosquito-repellent measures.

None in the cities of Brasília, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo, and Vitória

In case of fever during or after your journey, get tested for malaria as soon as possible.

There is risk of yellow fever almost in the entire country, with the exception of a part of the northeastern coast, Salvador, Recife and Fortaleza.

There is a moderate risk of chikungunya. Protect yourself against mosquitoes. Vaccination is recommended for some travellers.

Insects can transmit diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, leishmaniasis, oropouche and Chagas disease.

Protect yourself against insects.

Ticks can transmit diseases.

Dogs and other mammals can be infected with rabies.

There is a risk of infection with schistosomiasis when swimming or bathing in lakes and rivers.

You may experience altitude sickness in areas above 2500 metres.

Read these tips before you leave.

Vaccinations

Yellow fever

Recommended

Open map

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all travellers and must be administered at least ten days prior to arrival by an official yellow fever vaccination centre.