Erratum to: Epidemiologic features of overseas imported malaria in the People's Republic of China

Analysis of Epidemiological Changes and Prevention Effects for Malaria in Weifang, Shandong Province, China from 1957 to 2017

Background

We aimed to conduct a retrospective analysis of the epidemiological changes and prevention effects for malaria in Weifang, Shandong Peninsula, China from 1957 to 2017.

Methods

The malaria data from a web-based reporting system were analyzed to explore malaria epidemiological characteristics and prevention effects in Weifang.

Results

Overall, 1, 704, 890 malaria cases were reported in Weifang from 1957 to 2017, of which two major malaria epidemics occurred in 1961 (827.28/10, 000) and 1971 (366.14/10, 000). Prior to 1997, all malaria patients (1, 704, 829) were infected with Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax). After 2007, the cases of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) showed an upward trend (76.8%). The reported cases after the 21st century were mainly imported cases, and the last indigenous case was a patient that infected with P. vivax in 2006. Overall, 36 imported cases were reported from 2010 to 2017, of which 88.9% were acquired in Africa. Except for one 32-year-old woman, the rest were male (97.2%), in which laborers and farmers represented the vast majority (66.6%). From 1987 to 2017, there were 1, 224, 474 cases of fever with blood tests, and the average blood test rate was 4.9%. From 1957 to 2017, a total of 1, 704, 890 malaria patients were treated, 96 cases were treated during resting phase from 1987 to 2017.

Conclusion

Weifang should continue to strengthen the management of the migrant population, making blood tests for fever patients and patient treatment as important means of malaria control and monitoring.

Toward the Elimination of Malaria in China: A Retrospective Analysis of Malaria-Endemic Characteristics and Prevention Effects in Yantai, Shandong Province, 1951 to 2017

Objectives: To study the epidemiological characteristics of malaria and the effects of comprehensive malaria control implementation in Yantai, as well as to provide a scientific basis for future malaria elimination. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted to explore the epidemiological changes and prevention effects in Yantai from 1951 to 2017. The malaria data before 2004 were collected from paper-based annual reports, and data after 2004 came from the Infectious Diseases Information Reporting Management System. Results: A total of 81,286 malaria cases were identified in Yantai from 1957 to 2017, with two peaks occurring in 1966 (120.93/100,000) and 1970-1972 (366.12/100,000). From 1951 to 2003, the case classification was mainly Plasmodium vivax (99.80%); the first case attributed to Plasmodium falciparum occurred in 2004, and P. falciparum became the main cause of malaria after 2011. All cases reported since 2010 have been imported cases, and the last indigenous case was caused by P. vivax in 2008. A total of 129 imported cases were reported from 2010 to 2017, most of which originated in Africa (93.80%), mainly in men aged 30-49 years (68.28%). From 1951 to 1973, 73,868 cases of malaria were diagnosed with clinical symptoms, and from 1974 to 2017, 818,943 cases in fever patients were diagnosed with blood tests. Conclusions: To achieve the goal of eliminating malaria by 2020, Yantai should continue to strengthen the management of migrant population, including improving malaria surveillance for returnees and immigrants from overseas endemic areas, and continue to increase the training of medical personnel to improve their diagnostic ability.