title: High altitude epidemic malaria in Bamian province, central Afghanistan.
abstract: We report an epidemic of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the remote valley of Bamian (altitude 2250 m-2400 m) in the central highlands of Afghanistan. A team of malaria experts from the World Health Organization and HealthNet International carried out the investigation. A total of 215 peripheral blood smears were obtained and 63 cases of malaria (90.5% P. falciparum, the remainder P. vivax) were confirmed. The study revealed that areas vulnerable to malaria in Afghanistan are more widespread than previously recognized. The area had been malaria-free until recently, when the disease appears to have been introduced as a consequence of protracted conflict and resultant population movement, and transmitted locally during the short summer months. The outbreak led to severe morbidity and high mortality in a province having only a few poorly-provisioned health care facilities.
authors.affiliation: HealthNet International, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdur Rab
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durrani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simon-Taha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rowland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000346:Afghanistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D017677:Age Distribution; D000531:Altitude; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014857:Warfare