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Malaria surveillance--United States, 2002
Snehal Shah1, Scott Filler, Louise M Causer
1Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology Program Office, CDC, USA.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries (Washington, D.C. : 2002)
|May 5, 2004
Summary
Malaria cases in the U.S. decreased slightly in 2002, primarily due to fewer cases from the Americas. Most infections were acquired abroad, with many travelers not using recommended malaria prevention drugs.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium species.
- In the U.S., most malaria cases are imported by travelers, with some local transmission and rare cases from blood products or congenital routes.
- Surveillance aims to detect local transmission and inform travel prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report and analyze malaria cases in the United States for the year 2002.
- To identify trends in malaria transmission, geographic sources of infection, and species involved.
- To assess the effectiveness of malaria prevention measures among U.S. travelers.
Main Methods:
- Data collected through the National Malaria Surveillance System (NMSS) by the CDC.
- Analysis of confirmed malaria cases with onset of illness in 2002.
- Comparison of case data with the previous year (2001) to identify trends.
Main Results:
- A total of 1,337 malaria cases were reported in the U.S. in 2002, a 3.3% decrease from 2001.
- Plasmodium falciparum was the most common species (52.3%).
- Cases acquired in the Americas decreased significantly (-41.2%), while cases from Africa and Asia increased.
- Only 37.3% of U.S. civilians who acquired malaria abroad reported using CDC-recommended chemoprophylaxis.
- Five cases were acquired within the U.S., and eight deaths occurred, all due to P. falciparum.
Conclusions:
- The decrease in malaria cases was mainly driven by fewer infections acquired in the Americas.
- Increased travel to or transmission in Africa and Asia partially offset the overall decrease.
- A significant proportion of U.S. travelers to endemic areas did not adhere to malaria chemoprophylaxis guidelines.
- Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial, as malaria can be fatal; travelers should use preventive measures and seek immediate medical care if symptomatic after travel.