[Imported malaria: a clinical and epidemiological description of 49 cases]

Malaria is the most common protozoan infection in the world. In 1964, it was considered eradicated in our country, all the new cases being declared as imported, the present migratory and tourism factors obviously having increased the incidence. We analyzed 49 cases of imported malaria diagnosed at "Hospital de Mar" in Barcelona between 1976 and 1987. 14 patients were emigrants from endemic areas. Africa as the continent (73.4%), and equatorial Guinea as the country (44.8%) being the geographical areas most frequently found as sources of the cases. Only 40% of tourists took chemoprophylaxis measures and only half of them did it correctly. The most usual plasmodium found was the P. Falciparum (21 cases). The conclusion is evident, it is necessary to create a greater awareness in our area, improving the information for travellers to tropical countries applying sanitary controls to immigrants who come from endemic areas.