[Imported malaria in Geneva: 1998-2004]. / Paludisme d'importation à Genève: 1998-2004.

Epidemiological surveillance of malaria cases reported in Geneva between 1998 and 2004 is analysed and compared to a similar retrospective study conducted in 1988-1994. A total of 426 cases have been reported, with a mean of 61 cases per year and an increase of 29,4% compared to the initial study. Most of the increase was seen in patients of African origin, from 115 to 170 cases, of whom 56% visited friends and relatives. Malaria was acquired predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa (88,5%), mainly West and Central Africa. P. falciparum was the predominant species (75,3%), with significant seasonality during the summer and in January. This was not the case for other species. Two third of cases did not take any chemoprophylaxis. These results stress the importance of the disease and the need for adequate protection of travellers.

Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder in Tibetan refugee children.

OBJECTIVE: In an exploratory survey the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) was estimated in children who escaped from Tibet and found refuge in Tibetan settlements in India. METHOD: As part of an exploratory mission of the international medical relief organization Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres), 61 randomly selected children from four group homes of the Tibetan Children Village in Dharamsala, India, were interviewed for symptoms of PTSD and MDD. RESULTS: 11.5% of the children met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD, and the same proportion met criteria for MDD. Children who had arrived from Tibet more recently (in the previous 18 months) showed a tendency for greater prevalence of PTSD than children who had been refugees longer. CONCLUSION: Tibetan children who succeed in their journey into exile suffer levels of stress-related disorders comparable with those of children in war situations or those exposed to natural disasters. However, in this population, several protective factors may help reduce the level of distress over time.