Malaria prophylaxis policy for travellers from Europe to the Indian Subcontinent.
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.
Behrens
R H
RH
Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. ron.behrens@lshtm.ac.uk
Bisoffi
Z
Z
Björkman
A
A
Gascon
J
J
Hatz
C
C
Jelinek
T
T
Legros
F
F
Mühlberger
N
N
Voltersvik
P
P
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel / Q000639:trends*
D000962:Antimalarials