title: Imported malaria in Korea: a 13-year experience in a single center.
abstract: The incidence of imported malaria has been increasing in Korea. We reviewed data retrospectively to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes of imported malaria from 1995 to 2007 in a university hospital. All patients diagnosed with imported malaria were included. Imported malaria was defined as a positive smear for malaria that was acquired in a foreign country. A total of 49 patients (mean age, 35.7 year; M : F = 38 : 11) were enrolled. The predominant malarial species was Plasmodium falciparum (73.5%), and the most frequent area of acquisition was Africa (55.1%), followed by Southeast Asia (22.4%) and South Asia (18.4%). Fourteen-patients (30.6%) suffered from severe malaria caused by P. falciparum and 1 patient (2.0%) died of multiorgan failure. Most of the patients were treated with mefloquine (79.2%) or quinine (10.2%); other antimalarial agents had to be given in 13.2% treated with mefloquine and 44.4% with quinine due to adverse drug events (ADEs). P. falciparum was the most common cause of imported malaria, with the majority of cases acquired from Africa, and a significant number of patients had severe malaria. Alternative antimalarial agents with lower rates of ADEs might be considered for effective treatment instead of mefloquine and quinine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Konkuk University Hospital, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hae Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Ki-Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Seong Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Dong Sik
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sang Taek
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Sang Yop
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Doo Ryun
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kyong Ran
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.forename: Jae-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials