Malaria prophylaxis policy for travellers from Europe to the Indian Subcontinent

Malar J. 2006 Feb 1:5:7. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-5-7.

Abstract

Analysis of malaria imported into eight European countries from the Indian Sub-continent (ISC) (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) led to a consensus statement on the use of chemoprophylaxis within TropNetEurop. The proportion of cases from the ISC in 2004 ranged from 1.4%-4.6% of total imported cases. Plasmodium falciparum cases reported from the eight countries was only 23 (13% of all cases from the region). Total malaria reports between 1999-2004 fell from 317 to 180. The risk of malaria in UK residents visiting the region was > 1 case per 1,000 years exposed. The group recommended non-selective prescribing of chemoprophylaxis for visitors to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should be dropped.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / administration & dosage
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Bangladesh / epidemiology
  • Computer Communication Networks
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Malaria / drug therapy
  • Malaria / epidemiology
  • Malaria / prevention & control*
  • Pakistan / epidemiology
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification
  • Sri Lanka / epidemiology
  • Travel / trends*

Substances

  • Antimalarials