Analysis of imported malaria cases in Leshan City from 2012 to 2018 / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of reported malaria cases in Leshan City, so as to provide insights into malaria control. Methods The data pertaining to malaria cases and epidemiological individual information in Leshan City from 2012 to 2018 were captured from the National Notifiable Communicable Disease Reporting System and the Information System for Parasitic Diseases Control and Prevention, and a descriptive epidemiological analysis was performed. Results A total of 34 malaria cases were reported in Leshan City from 2012 to 2018, and all cases were confirmed as imported malaria cases by Sichuan provincial malaria diagnosis reference laboratory. Of all 34 cases, there were 14 vivax malaria cases, 18 falciparum malaria cases, a malariae malaria case and an ovale malaria case. The sites where malaria parasite infections occurred mainly included African areas (accounting for 58.82%) and Southeastern Asian areas (accounting for 29.41%), and the malaria cases were mainly reported in January, February, June and July, which accounted for 65.63% of all cases. The cases included 33 men and a woman, and had ages of 21 to 59 years. The cases’occupations mainly involved overseas peasants, technical workers and businessmen. The duration from onset of malaria to diagnosis ranged from 0 to 31 days, and the percentage of definitive diagnosis was 85.29% at initial diagnosis. Conclusions There are no local malaria cases in Leshan City; however, imported malaria cases are reported. The monitoring, management and health education of overseas returners should be further strengthened and malaria training should be improved to enhance the diagnostic and treatment capability in professionals, so as to consolidate malaria control achievements.