Malaria Clusters among Illegal Chinese Immigrants to Europe through Africa

Abstract

Between November 2002 and March 2003, 17 cases of malaria (1 fatal) were observed in illegal Chinese immigrants who traveled to Italy through Africa. A further cluster of 12 was reported in August, 2002. Several immigrants traveled by air, making the risk of introducing sudden acute respiratory syndrome a possibility should such illegal immigrations continue.

Prevalence of Plasmodium spp. in malaria asymptomatic African migrants assessed by nucleic acid sequence based amplification

“…Most of the cases registered from 2002–2006 were among people from Africa (88.4%), and, in particular, from Nigeria (26%), Ghana (17%), Senegal (17%), Costa d'Ivoire (12%), and Burkina Faso (6.7%). Furthermore, additional cases were reported in 2000 [ 43 ] and in 2002 [ 44 ] in Chinese immigrants who traveled to Italy via Africa. Plasmodium falciparum was confirmed to be the most prevalent species imported in southern Europe [ 27 , 28 , 37 ]; in Italy, this species is responsible for 89% of the infection, P. vivax for 7.7%, P. ovale and P. malariae , 6% and 1.5%, respectively [ 29 , 37 ].…”

Case Report: A Cluster of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Cases among Thai Workers in Gembu, Nigeria

“…Most of these reports were of travelers from European countries and North America. [8][9][10][11] In Asia, a familial cluster of P. ovale infections among three of four Japanese travelers was reported after a 6-week tour of Kenya. 12 In other regions, a cluster of imported P. vivax cases was reported among travelers returning from Peru, where vivax malaria predominates.…”