Malaria Chemoprophylaxis for Travelers: The Knowledge of Physicians in the State of Qatar, 2017

Abstract

Introduction Malaria is the world's most widely spread febrile illness. Globally, around 302 million people are at risk of malaria, with 216 million new cases and 445 000 deaths (compared to 446,000 deaths in 2015) attributed to malaria annually. The African region contributed 91% of global malaria cases followed by the Southeast Asian (6%) and Eastern Mediterranean regions (2%). The majority of deaths occur among young children, pregnant women, non-immune travelers, refugees, displaced persons, and laborers traveling to endemic areas. 1 Moreover, it is well known that those visiting friends and relatives (VFR) are at high risk of malaria as they are less likely to use chemoprophylaxis. 2 Imported malaria is currently one of the major threats to the significant achievement of global malaria control, 3 which has led to a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality in high transmission areas and interruption of transmission in low transmission areas. Though indigenous transmission of malaria has been eliminated in most of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, a large number of imported malaria cases occur, especially among the sizeable migrant workforces in these countries. 4 The majority of these workers come from the Indian subcontinent, while the remaining cases are from sub-Saharan African countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, http://ijtmgh.com

Imported Malaria in an Immigrant Toddler Boy in Kashan, a Non-Malaria Endemic Area, Central Iran

“…Imported malaria is one of the significant challenges hindering the achievement of global malaria control. Indigenous malaria transmission is under control in most countries around the Persian Gulf; however, malaria cases are imported to these countries, especially by the migrant workforces coming to these regions [10].…”