title: The risk of imported malaria in security forces personnel returning from overseas missions in the context of prevention of re-introduction of malaria to Sri Lanka.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sri Lanka is a malaria-free country. However it remains surrounded by countries with endemic malaria transmission. Since the last indigenous case of malaria was reported in October 2012, only imported malaria cases have been diagnosed with 36 cases detected in 2015, which includes 17 cases each of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum and two cases of Plasmodium ovale.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated the knowledge and practices regarding malaria chemoprophylaxis among all the Sri Lankan security forces personnel returning from peacekeeping missions in malaria endemic countries over a 7 month period. Adherence to other malaria prevention measures, occurrence of adverse events and incident cases of malaria were also recorded maintaining the anonymity of the respondents. Potential associations for non-compliance were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interviews were carried out with 559 security forces personnel returning home from foreign deployments in malaria-endemic regions (males: 550, 98.4 %). The majority (553, 98.9 %) was well aware of the need for chemoprophylaxis during the overseas stay and its regular use as prescribed. The overall adherence to chemoprophylaxis was good with 78.7 % (440/559) reporting regular, as prescribed, use. Having better educational qualifications, being female, being prescribed mefloquine, having fever during deployment and belonging to a security force other than the army were significantly associated with poor compliance (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study reveals that knowledge regarding malaria chemoprophylaxis among Sri Lankan security forces personnel serving abroad was good, a fact that may have contributed to absence/extremely low incidence of malaria during deployment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, 25, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka. ferndeep@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sumadhya Deepika
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.affiliation: Anti Malaria Campaign, 555/5 Public Health Building Complex, Narahenpita, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka. drpriyanid@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Priyani
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dharmawardana
authors.affiliation: Sri Lanka Army Health Services, Army Headquarters, Baladaksha Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka. saveen70@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Saveen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semege
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, 25, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka. geethanee_cp@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Geetha
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Epasinghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, 25, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka. niroshanafmc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Niroshana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Senanayake
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka. chaturaka.rodrigo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chaturaka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.affiliation: Anti Malaria Campaign, 555/5 Public Health Building Complex, Narahenpita, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka. risintha@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Risintha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Premaratne
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012306:Risk; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials