[Characteristics of malaria cases diagnosed in Edirne province between 1994-2002]

In this study, the epidemiological characteristics of malaria cases in Edirne province were investigated. Between the years of 1994-2002, a total of 317,087 blood samples were collected from soldiers in the province with selective active surveillance and from the resident population with active or passive surveillance methods, by the medical staff of Malaria Control Department and Health Centers, to search the presence of Plasmodium. In 281 of them Plasmodium spp. were detected, and the characteristics of malaria cases were investigated. Of the cases, 238 (84.7%) were detected in the first three years and mostly in September. While the indigenous cases were detected in the districts where rice planted intensely, the imported cases were detected in the districts heavily populated by military staff. Of the imported cases, 62% originated from Diyarbakir, Batman and Sanliurfa provinces (Southeast part of Turkey). P. vivax was detected as the causative agent in all blood samples except one P. ovale. This latter case has been the only one in Turkey so far and he was a student from Afghanistan. Attaching importance to fight off mosquitoes in intensely rice planted districts and strictly surveying the military staff, particularly from the region of Southern-East Anatolia, have led to successful control of the malaria cases in Edirne region.