Malaria: still a threat to travellers

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Tropical Medicine
• Travel Medicine

Background:

• Millions of international travelers visit malaria-endemic regions annually, posing a risk of imported malaria cases.
• Despite available chemoprophylaxis, approximately 10,000 malaria cases are imported into industrialized nations each year, with a 1% case fatality rate.
• High-transmission areas like sub-Saharan Africa and the South Pacific remain significant risks for travelers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the persistent threat of imported malaria among international travelers.
• To address the challenges posed by drug-resistant malaria strains and the need for updated chemoprophylaxis.
• To identify strategies for improving malaria prevention, particularly for visitors to friends and relatives (VFRs).

Main Methods:

• Analysis of imported malaria case data in industrialized countries.
• Review of current chemoprophylaxis regimens and drug resistance patterns.
• Identification of at-risk traveler populations, including migrants and VFRs.

Main Results:

• Substantial numbers of malaria cases continue to be imported into Europe and North America.
• An increasing proportion of imported cases involves migrants and VFRs visiting endemic countries.
• Drug resistance in malaria parasites necessitates adjustments in preventive strategies.

Conclusions:

• Malaria prevention for international travelers requires ongoing adaptation due to drug resistance.
• Targeting VFRs and improving risk perception are crucial for reducing imported malaria cases.
• Development of new, user-friendly antimalarial drugs and innovative outreach methods are essential challenges for future prevention efforts.