[Epidemiological analysis and control strategy discussion for overseas imported malaria cases reported in Chongqing...

To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of overseas imported malaria reported in Chongqing City from 2011 to 2015, so as to provide the evidence for improving the imported malaria control strategies.

The epidemiological data of overseas imported malaria cases were collected and analyzed descriptively for the species, original countries, diagnosis and treatment in Chongqing City from 2011 to 2015.

A total of 148 overseas imported malaria cases were reported in Chongqing City from 2011 to 2015, in which 96 (65.54%) cases were falciparum malaria, and 37 (24.32%) cases were vivax malaria; 125 (84.46%) cases were infected in Africa, and the rest of 23 (15.54%) cases were infected in Southeast Asia. Most of the patients were 30 to 50 years old male workmen, and the ratio of male to female was 11.42:1. There was no obvious seasonal distribution among the reported timelines of the cases; however, there were two small peaks from June to August and from January to February. The median interval time of imported malaria cases from malaria onset to see a doctor was 1 day and from seeing the doctor to get malaria diagnosis was 2 days. The patients' first selected institutions were county medical institutions (50 cases, 33.78%), then provincial medical institutions (36 cases, 24.325%) and private doctors (20 cases, 13.51%), and only 79 (53.38%) patients got malaria diagnoses in their first selected institutions. The standard treatment were provided to 142 (95.54%) cases. There were 43 (29.05%) patients had serious complications and three patients were dead.

It is very important to enhance the multi-sector's collaboration to establish the collaborative investigation mechanism for screening malaria patients, and strengthen malaria health education for overseas workers and training courses in primary care medical institutions.