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Trojánek M, Grebenyuk V, Richterová L, Zicklerová I, Nohýnková E, Manďáková Z, Kantor J, Roháčová H, Stejskal F. Epidemiology and clinical features of imported malaria: a 14-year retrospective single-centre descriptive study in Prague, Czech Republic. Malar J 2022; 21:257. [PMID: 36068598 PMCID: PMC9447980 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04282-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria represents one of the most important imported tropical infectious diseases in European travellers. The objective of the study was to identify changes in the epidemiological features of imported malaria and to analyse the clinical findings and outcomes of imported malaria. Methods This single-centre descriptive study retrospectively analysed the medical records of all imported malaria cases in travellers treated at the Department of Infectious Diseases of University Hospital Bulovka in Prague from 2006 to 2019. Results The study included 203 patients with a median age of 37 years (IQR 30–48) and a male to female ratio of 3.72:1. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species (149/203), and its proportion significantly increased from 35/60 cases (58.3%) in 2006–2011 to 69/80 (86.3%) in 2016–2019 (p < 0.001). In contrast, the incidence of Plasmodium vivax malaria decreased from 19/60 cases (31.7%) in 2006–2011 to 5/80 (6.3%) in 2016–2019 (p < 0.001). Malaria was imported from sub-Saharan Africa in 161/203 cases (79.3%). The proportion of travellers from Southeast and South Asia decreased from 16/60 (26.7%) and 6/60 (10.0%) in 2006–2011 to 2/80 (2.5%) and no cases (0.0%) in 2016–2019, respectively (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006). Tourism was the most common reason for travel (82/203), however, the proportion of non-tourists significantly increased over time from 29/60 (48.3%) in 2006–2011 to 55/80 (68.8%) in 2016–2019, p = 0.015. Severe malaria developed in 32/203 (15.8%) patients who were significantly older (p = 0.013) and whose treatment was delayed (p < 0.001). Two lethal outcomes were observed during the study period. Conclusions This study demonstrated a significant increase in P. falciparum malaria, which frequently resulted in severe disease, especially in older patients and those with delayed treatment initiation. The rising proportion of imported malaria in non-tourists, including business travellers and those visiting friends and relatives, is another characteristic finding analogous to the trends observed in Western European and North American centres. The described changes in the aetiology and epidemiology of imported malaria may serve to optimize pre-travel consultation practices and improve post-travel diagnostics and medical care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04282-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Trojánek
- Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Bulovka, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Grebenyuk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic. .,Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Bulovka, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Lenka Richterová
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Bulovka, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,National Reference Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Tropical Parasitic Infections, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Microbiology of the 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova 50, 100 34, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Zicklerová
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Bulovka, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,National Reference Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Tropical Parasitic Infections, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Nohýnková
- National Reference Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Tropical Parasitic Infections, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Studničkova 7, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Manďáková
- Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Kantor
- Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Roháčová
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Bulovka, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - František Stejskal
- Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Bulovka, Budínova 2, 180 81, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Regional Hospital Liberec, Husova 10, 460 63, Liberec, Czech Republic
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Rios-Zertuche D, Carter KH, Harris KP, Thom M, Zúñiga-Brenes MP, Bernal-Lara P, González-Marmol Á, Johanns CK, Hernández B, Palmisano E, Cogen R, Naik P, El Bcheraoui C, Smith DL, Mokdad AH, Iriarte E. Performance of passive case detection for malaria surveillance: results from nine countries in Mesoamerica and the Dominican Republic. Malar J 2021; 20:208. [PMID: 33931091 PMCID: PMC8085801 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03645-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In malaria elimination settings, available metrics for malaria surveillance have been insufficient to measure the performance of passive case detection adequately. An indicator for malaria suspected cases with malaria test (MSCT) is proposed to measure the rate of testing on persons presenting to health facilities who satisfy the definition of a suspected malaria case. This metric does not rely on prior knowledge of fever prevalence, seasonality, or external denominators, and can be used to compare detection rates in suspected cases within and between countries, including across settings with different levels of transmission. Methods To compute the MSCT, an operational definition for suspected malaria cases was established, including clinical and epidemiological criteria. In general, suspected cases included: (1) persons with fever detected in areas with active malaria transmission; (2) persons with fever identified in areas with no active transmission and travel history to, or residence in areas with active transmission (either national or international); and (3) persons presenting with fever, chills and sweating from any area. Data was collected from 9 countries: Belize, Colombia (in areas with active transmission), Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama (September–March 2020). A sample of eligible medical records for 2018 was selected from a sample of health facilities in each country. An algorithm was constructed to assess if a malaria test was ordered or performed for cases that met the suspected case definition. Results A sample of 5873 suspected malaria cases was obtained from 239 health facilities. Except for Nicaragua and Colombia, malaria tests were requested in less than 10% of all cases. More cases were tested in areas with active transmission than areas without cases. Travel history was not systematically recorded in any country. Conclusions A statistically comparable, replicable, and standardized metric was proposed to measure suspected malaria cases with a test (microscopy or rapid diagnostic test) that enables assessing the performance of passive case detection. Cross-country findings have important implications for malaria and infectious disease surveillance, which should be promptly addressed as countries progress towards malaria elimination. Local and easy-to-implement tools could be implemented to assess and improve passive case detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Rios-Zertuche
- Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative, Inter-American Development Bank, DC, Washington, USA.
| | - Keith H Carter
- Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative, Inter-American Development Bank, DC, Washington, USA
| | - Katie Panhorst Harris
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Max Thom
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Pedro Bernal-Lara
- Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative, Inter-American Development Bank, DC, Washington, USA
| | - Álvaro González-Marmol
- Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative, Inter-American Development Bank, Panama City, Panama
| | - Casey K Johanns
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bernardo Hernández
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Erin Palmisano
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rebecca Cogen
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paulami Naik
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - David L Smith
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ali H Mokdad
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Emma Iriarte
- Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative, Inter-American Development Bank, DC, Washington, USA
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Duong MC, Pham OKN, Nguyen PT, Nguyen VVC, Nguyen PH. Predictors of treatment failures of plasmodium falciparum malaria in Vietnam: a 4-year single-centre retrospective study. Malar J 2021; 20:205. [PMID: 33926479 PMCID: PMC8082636 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03720-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Drug-resistant falciparum malaria is an increasing public health burden. This study examined the magnitude of Plasmodium falciparum infection and the patterns and predictors of treatment failure in Vietnam. Methods Medical records of all 443 patients with malaria infection admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases between January 2015 and December 2018 were used to extract information on demographics, risk factors, symptoms, laboratory tests, treatment, and outcome. Results More than half (59.8%, 265/443, CI 55.1–64.4%) of patients acquired Plasmodium falciparum infection of whom 21.9% (58/265, CI 17.1–27.4%) had severe malaria, while 7.2% (19/265, CI 4.6–10.9%) and 19.2% (51/265, CI 14.7–24.5%) developed early treatment failure (ETF) and late treatment failure (LTF) respectively. Among 58 patients with severe malaria, 14 (24.1%) acquired infection in regions where artemisinin resistance has been documented including Binh Phuoc (11 patients), Dak Nong (2 patients) and Gia Lai (1 patient). Under treatment with intravenous artesunate, the median (IQR) parasite half-life of 11 patients coming from Binh Phuoc was 3 h (2.3 to 8.3 h), two patients coming from Dak Nong was 2.8 and 5.7 h, and a patient coming from Gia Lai was 6.5 h. Most patients (98.5%, 261/265) recovered completely. Four patients with severe malaria died. Severe malaria was statistically associated with receiving treatment at previous hospitals (P < 0.001), hepatomegaly (P < 0.001) and number of inpatient days (P < 0.001). Having severe malaria was a predictor of ETF (AOR 6.96, CI 2.55–19.02, P < 0.001). No predictor of LTF was identified. Conclusions Plasmodium falciparum remains the prevalent malaria parasite. Despite low mortality rate, severe malaria is not rare and is a significant predictor of ETF. To reduce the risk for ETF, studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of combination therapy including parenteral artesunate and a parenteral partner drug for severe malaria. The study alerts the possibility of drug-resistant malaria in Africa and other areas in Vietnam, which are known as non-endemic areas of anti-malarial drug resistance. A more comprehensive study using molecular technique in these regions is required to completely understand the magnitude of drug-resistant malaria and to design appropriate control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Cuong Duong
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Phu Hoan Nguyen
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. .,Medical School, Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
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Pereira DMS, Carvalho Júnior AR, Lacerda EMDCB, da Silva LCN, Marinho CRF, André E, Fernandes ES. Oxidative and nitrosative stresses in cerebral malaria: can we target them to avoid a bad prognosis? J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 75:1363-1373. [PMID: 32105324 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkaa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently a global effort to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality. However, malaria still results in the deaths of thousands of people every year. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium spp., parasites transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Treatment timing plays a decisive role in reducing mortality and sequelae associated with the severe forms of the disease such as cerebral malaria (CM). The available antimalarial therapy is considered effective but parasite resistance to these drugs has been observed in some countries. Antimalarial drugs act by increasing parasite lysis, especially through targeting oxidative stress pathways. Here we discuss the roles of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen intermediates in CM as a result of host-parasite interactions. We also present evidence of the potential contribution of oxidative and nitrosative stress-based antimalarial drugs to disease treatment and control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Eunice André
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Soares Fernandes
- Programa de Pós-graduação, Universidade CEUMA, São Luís, MA, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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Hase R. Diagnostic delay for imported malaria: A case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria misdiagnosed as common cold. J Gen Fam Med 2017; 19:27-29. [PMID: 29340263 PMCID: PMC5763020 DOI: 10.1002/jgf2.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A 37‐year‐old Japanese man experienced fever and headache 8 days after returning to Japan following a 6‐month stay in Nigeria. He visited two clinics but was sent home from each with a diagnosis of common cold. He was eventually brought to the emergency department with an altered mental status. Severe P. falciparum malaria was confirmed; his initial parasitemia index was 5.4%. He recovered fully with antimalarial treatment. This case suggests that primary care physicians should obtain recent travel history and consider malaria for any febrile patient who has returned from a malaria‐endemic area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Hase
- Department of Infectious Diseases Japanese Red Cross Narita Hospital Chiba Japan
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