Title
Imported malaria in children: A national surveillance in the Netherlands and a review of European studies
Author
Driessen, G.J.
Pereira, R.R.
Brabin, B.J.
Hartwig, N.G.
TNO Kwaliteit van Leven
Publication year
2008
Abstract
Background: Falciparum malaria or malaria tropica is one of the leading causes of childhood mortality worldwide. Malaria-related deaths occur mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 365 million clinical cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria occur each year. In Europe, imported malaria cases occur due to returning travellers or immigration mostly from African countries. Children are more at risk than adults. The objective of this study was to identify high risk groups for imported childhood malaria in Europe in order to guide development of strategies for prevention, early recognition and management. Methods: In the period May 2003-January 2005 we reviewed all cases of paediatric malaria in the Netherlands notified by the Dutch Paediatric Surveillance System (Nederland Signalerings Centrum Kindergeneeskunde, NSCK) and the literature on imported malaria in children in Europe published between 1996 and 2006. Results: Malaria occurred mainly in children of long-term (n = 15, 47%) and new (n = 8, 25%) immigrants and was mostly acquired in sub-Saharan Africa. The dominant species was P. falciparum. Only one quarter of children had used adequate malaria chemoprophylaxis. Complicated disease occurred in 10 (31%) of cases. We also reviewed the literature and found 6082 reported cases of imported malaria among children in Europe; among these, four died and only one was reported to develop neurological sequelae. Conclusion: Imported malaria in children remains an important problem and is unlikely to decrease unless the reasons for inadequate prophylaxis are addressed. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved. Chemicals / CAS: quinine, 130-89-2, 130-95-0, 14358-44-2, 549-48-4, 549-49-5, 60-93-5, 7549-43-1; Antimalarials
Subject
Chemoprophylaxis
Child
Fever
Malaria
Travel
Africa
Animals
Antimalarials
Child
Child, Preschool
Emigration and Immigration
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Malaria, Falciparum
Netherlands
Plasmodium
Population Surveillance
Retrospective Studies
Travel
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckm101
TNO identifier
240718
ISSN
1101-1262
Source
European Journal of Public Health, 18 (2), 184-188
Document type
article