Imported malaria on the rise across Europe
Over 16,000 cases of malaria were imported into European countries between 1991 and 2001. Over 40 percent of those cases were in recent immigrants, refugees, and settled migrants visiting malarious countries of origin. With some 150 million people living outside the country they were born in, the globalization of malaria awaits Europe’s still healthy Anopheles populations.
“Imported malaria” cases are less likely to be diagnosed and treated promptly, especially when they occur in regions that consider malaria an historical artifact. That makes it more likely that these cases will be sick long enough to infect others. Non-immune people who are infected, in turn, are less able to stanch the multiplication of parasites in their bodies, making them more infective to others.
For more:
Patricia Schlagenhauf et al, “Migrants as a major risk group for imported malaria in European countries,” Journal of Travel Medicine, Vol. 10, 2003
S Toovey et al, “Rolling back malaria: how well is Europe doing?” Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, August 2003
