[Malaria epidemiology in Bitlis from 1998 to 2008]

Malaria is still an important public health problem both in Turkey and the world. In this investigation, the records of patients with malaria that had been detected by the Health Directorship of Bitlis between 1998 and 2008 were examined.

The retrospective study was performed on data from the Provincial Health Directory. During this 11-year period, a total of 86,951 blood samples were taken by active and pasive surveillance. Thin and thick blood smears stained with Giemsa were examined by immersion objective under microscope.

A total of 659 (0.75%) malaria cases were detected. Of these cases, 368 (55.84%) were male and 291 (44.16%) female. It was also observed that the positive cases were found mostly between 1998-2000 and showed an increase between May-September and an important decrease from 2001. Out of the 659 cases of malaria, 599 (90.9%) cases were indigenous, 60 (9.1%) cases were imported and in all cases the determinant was Plasmodium vivax.

It is hoped that, with this study, the data will contribute to the epidemiology of malaria and its prevention in Bitlis.