Imported childhood malaria: the Dublin experience, 1999-2006

Imported childhood malaria has never been studied in Ireland. We aimed to document the incidence and species of malaria in children presenting to paediatric hospitals in Dublin and to examine management and outcome measures.

Subjects were identified through laboratory archives from the three paediatric hospitals in Dublin. Clinical data were extracted retrospectively from clinical and laboratory records.

As much as 67 episodes of malaria occurred in 66 children. Episodes occurred among new immigrants (n = 31) and Irish residents (n = 33) who travelled to endemic regions. The majority of those who travelled to endemic regions did not receive appropriate prophylaxis. Plasmodium falciparum was identified in 64 (95%) episodes, 26 with a parasite load above 2%. Eighteen children developed complications. All cases were treated successfully.

Irish health-care practitioners need to encourage malaria prophylaxis among travellers to malaria-endemic regions. Management guidelines should be formulated to assist Irish clinicians treating this potentially fatal illness.