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Malaria in the Australian refugee population.
1Discipline of General Practice, University of Adelaide, Australia. jill.benson@adelaide.edu.au
Australian Family Physician
|August 7, 2007
Summary
Refugees arriving in Australia may have malaria, a serious public health concern. Prompt screening and hospital-monitored treatment are crucial for all refugees from endemic areas, even if asymptomatic.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Tropical Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Malaria poses a significant health risk to refugees resettling in Australia.
- The presence of Anopheles mosquitoes in northern Australia necessitates vigilant malaria detection and treatment.
- Malaria control is vital for individual, family, and public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the screening, assessment, and management protocols for malaria in refugee populations.
- To emphasize the importance of early detection and treatment of malaria in refugees.
- To provide guidance on managing malaria in a vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Screening all refugees from endemic areas upon arrival.
- Assessing refugees presenting with symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, or muscle pain.
- Managing malaria cases with hospital monitoring, potentially as outpatients.
- Conducting follow-up blood smears (thick and thin films) at 28 days for test of cure.
Main Results:
- Malaria presentation in refugees often deviates from the classic fever paroxysms.
- Symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and muscle pain in refugees warrant high suspicion for malaria.
- Even prior malaria testing or treatment does not exclude current infection in refugees.
Conclusions:
- All refugees from malaria-endemic areas require screening upon arrival, irrespective of symptoms.
- A high index of suspicion is necessary for diagnosing malaria in refugees presenting with non-specific symptoms.
- While treatment is costly and requires monitoring, it can be managed effectively, with follow-up testing to ensure cure.
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