Final answer:
The priority question to ask a client suspected of having malaria is whether they have recently traveled out of the country, to assess the likelihood of contracting the disease in a region where it is endemic.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a client is admitted to an acute care facility with a suspected case of malaria, the priority question to ask would be: B. Have you recently traveled out of the country? This question is vital because malaria is predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. Understanding a patient's travel history is crucial for a proper diagnosis since malaria is an infectious disease spread by mosquitoes, but caused by a single-celled parasite called Plasmodium.
Malaria's risk is particularly high for certain groups, such as pregnant women, where the disease can result in severe complications, including fetal loss and increased maternal mortality. Healthcare providers prioritize travel history to assess the likelihood of a patient contracting malaria and to proceed with appropriate diagnostic testing and treatment.