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Imported malaria in Kuwait (1985-2000)
Jamshaid Iqbal1, Parsotam R Hira, Faiza Al-Ali
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
Journal of Travel Medicine
|December 4, 2003
Summary
A proactive screening program for malaria in immigrants significantly reduced imported cases by over 50%. Targeted prevention strategies are needed for settled immigrants at high risk during travel to endemic areas.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Documenting the epidemiology of imported malaria in Kuwait from 1985-2000.
- Assessing the impact of preventive measures on malaria case profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in imported malaria cases in Kuwait over a 15-year period.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a proactive screening program for malaria.
Main Methods:
- Microscopic screening of migrant workers and suspected cases.
- Categorization of the study period into pre-war, postwar, and proactive preventive phases.
- Implementation of pre-travel screening in immigrants' home countries during the final phase.
Main Results:
- Malaria incidence decreased significantly from over 1,300 cases/year to under 400 cases/year after the proactive program.
- Plasmodium vivax (71%) and Plasmodium falciparum (27%) were the predominant species.
- Young male adults (21-40 years) constituted the majority of cases (80%).
Conclusions:
- Proactive screening of prospective immigrants in home countries effectively reduced imported malaria cases by 52.6%.
- Settled immigrants visiting home countries represent a high-risk group requiring targeted malaria prevention.
- Urgent implementation of education and preventive measures for this identified high-risk population is recommended.