Related Experiment Videos
Malaria risk in travelers
Helena Hervius Askling1, Jenny Nilsson, Anders Tegnell
1Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|March 11, 2005
Summary
Swedish travelers face increased malaria risk, especially to East, Central, and West Africa. Male travelers and young children under six years old are at higher risk for imported malaria.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Travel Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Imported malaria poses a growing public health concern in Western nations.
- Understanding risk factors is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors associated with malaria in Swedish travelers.
- To analyze the influence of age, sex, and travel destination on malaria incidence.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a routine malaria reporting system (1997-2003).
- Integrated travel pattern data and in-flight or visa information for Swedish travelers.
- Calculated crude risk and adjusted odds ratios for various demographic and geographic factors.
Main Results:
- Malaria risk varied significantly by destination, from 1/100,000 to Central America/Caribbean to 357/100,000 in Central Africa.
- East Africa presented the highest adjusted odds ratio (341) for malaria, followed by Central and West Africa.
- Male travelers (OR=1.7) and children aged 1-6 years (OR=4.8) showed increased malaria risk compared to females and other age groups.
Conclusions:
- Travel destination is a primary determinant of malaria risk for Swedish travelers.
- Specific demographic groups, including males and young children, require targeted malaria prevention efforts.
- Findings underscore the importance of robust surveillance and tailored travel advisories for imported malaria.