Health Protection Agency warns of malaria risk to travellers

Main Category: Preventive Medicine
Article Date: 04 Dec 2004 - 3:00 PDT

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UK - Following twelve recent cases of malaria, mainly amongst European and North American visitors to the Dominican Republic, the Health Protection Agency is reminding travellers about the importance of protecting themselves against malaria when travelling to parts of the world where malaria is commonplace, including the Dominican Republic.

All of the cases were of the more dangerous form of malaria, caused by the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum , and none of the travellers had taken the necessary preventative antimalarial drugs.

Out of the seven cases of falciparum malaria that have been reported in European travellers returning from Dominican Republic , one was a UK resident. Five North Americans have also contracted the disease in the Dominican Republic - two of whom were Americans and three were Canadians.

Areas of the world most affected by malaria include Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East and Central and South America . The risk is particularly great in Africa where the potentially fatal falciparum malaria is common. A British resident who recently visited The Gambia subsequently died of falciparum malaria. In 2003 all of the fatal cases of malaria reported in the UK were contracted in Africa .

Professor Peter Chiodini, Director of the Agency's Malaria Reference Laboratory, said, " Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is a serious, potentially fatal disease that is preventable. The Agency recommends that all travellers to countries where malaria is prevalent, such as the Dominican Republic and The Gambia, take the appropriate preventative medication, to decrease the chances of contracting malaria. With the Christmas holiday season approaching it is important to ensure that travellers seeking winter sun in malarious locations are given adequate preventative advice. This includes last minute holidays booked over the telephone and on the internet.

Travellers need to take medication prior to travelling, during their stay abroad and for a period after returning. In addition, simple measures to avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing insect repellent and suitable clothing and sleeping under an insecticide-treated net are also highly effective and add enormously to the benefits of drug protection. These measures are also important because there are other diseases spread by insects for which there is no preventive medication."

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For Further Information:
Contact the Health Protection Agency, Colindale press office on 020 8327 7098 / 7097 / 6647 / 6055

Notes to Editors:

1. Malaria is a preventable parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It is predominantly a disease affecting Africa, South and Central America, Asia, Oceania and the Middle East . The symptoms include a flu-like illness, fever, shaking, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also occur. If travellers develop these symptoms whilst abroad or up to one year after returning, they should seek prompt medical advice and tell their doctor they have been in an area where malaria is a hazard.

2. The risk is particularly great in Africa, south of the Sahara, where over 95% of the potentially lethal falciparum malaria seen in the UK is contracted. The appropriate preventative medicines for most of Africa require a doctor's prescription and cannot be bought over the counter at a pharmacy.

3. The risks posed by malaria in some countries change over time so the treatment used in the past for these countries may not be the most appropriate today.

4. Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the United Kingdom for 2003 are available at: http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/malaria/guidelines.htmA recent update to the Guidelines re-emphasises the need for antimalarial drugs for visitors to the Dominican Republic .

5. Advice on travel medication and vaccinations is available from NHS Direct on 0845 4647. An information sheet on insect bite avoidance is available on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website http://www.nathnac.org/travellers/iba.html

6. Specific travel health advice for health professionals in regard to malaria can be obtained from the Malaria Reference Laboratory (0207 636 3924) or from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (0207 380 9234).

7. To see a copy of the latest CDR Weekly report, please go to: http://www.hpa.org.uk/cdr

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