[The value of the anamnesis in diseases following a stay in tropical regions].

The question whether an illness occurring after a stay in the tropics is tropical or not often arises in clinical practice. In seeking the answer, the following points in the patient's history are of particular importance: 1. Where has the patient been, and for how long? 2. When did the patient come home and when were the first symptoms noted? 3. What was the nature of his exposure during his stay? 4. What prophylactic measures were taken? The significance of the geographical history is illustrated by the example of South East Asia. The interval between the return home and appearance of the first symptoms is related to the course of tropical diseases, prepatency and survival time of parasites.