title: Travellers returning to Sweden with falciparum malaria: pre-travel advice, behaviour, chemoprophylaxis and diagnostic delay.
abstract: We have investigated pre-travel advice, behaviour, chemoprophylaxis and diagnostic delay in travellers returning to Sweden with falciparum malaria. Questionnaires were distributed to patients having been notified with falciparum malaria from 1994 to 2001. Of 408 notified patients, 237 (58%) returned the questionnaires; 62% were males and 43% above the age of 45 y. Africa was the travel destination in 90% of the cases, and 27% had travelled to Kenya. 69% had spent more than 1 night in the countryside, and 6% had stayed in modern urban areas only. 40% took an adequate dose of chemoprophylaxis, although this proportion decreased from 55% to 12% during the study period. Nine per cent used both bed nets and mosquito repellents regularly. The median time from onset of symptoms to contact with health care professionals was 2 d, and from that contact to start of malaria treatment the median time was less than 24 h.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Epidemiology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SMI), Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Helena Hervius
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Askling
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ekdahl
authors.forename: Ragnhild
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Janzon
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henric Braconier
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bronner
authors.forename: Urban
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hellgren
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rombo
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tegnell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018563:Disease Notification; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007302:Insect Repellents; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D007302:Insect Repellents