News

UK malaria cases up due to increased travel

04-Jul-08

Cases of potentially fatal malaria are on the increase in the UK due to a huge rise in the numbers of residents travelling to malaria endemic areas, UK research suggests.

Researchers from the Health Protection Agency studied data from the Malaria Reference Laboratory, involving 39,300 confirmed cases of malaria.

They found that in 1987-1991 there were 5,120 reported case of faliciparum malaria, but this increased to 6,753 in 2002-2006.

At the same time the number of UK visitors travelling to malaria endemic areas increased from 593,000 visits in 1987 to 2.6 million visits in 2004.

A large proportion of these visitors were from ethnic minorities travelling to see friends and relatives in West Africa.

The researchers say that the findings highlight that health messages are not getting through to ethnic minority groups.

‘Targeting messages tailored to these groups is essential in primary care and public health and this would have a substantial impact on UK malaria,' they say.

‘Increasing the use of effective anti-malarial prophylactic drugs by travellers visiting sub-Saharan Africa should also be a priority,' the researchers concluded.

sanjay.tanday@haymarket.com

BMJ research

Comment below and tell us what you think

Comments

Only registered users may comment. Log in now or register for a free account.

Login to comment


forgotten your password?

Quick search - use * for an abbreviated search, eg nico*

 
 

Healthcare Republic Forums

 

Registrar

Career paths - Working abroad in a rural practice

Dr Kingsley Poole describes the differences he experienced working at a remote practice in New Zeala... Read more

Professional development - Honing your presentation skills

Most people feel nervous facing an audience, but practice will make it easier, says Dr Kevin Brown. Read more

Journals club - HPV vaccine

Curriculum statement 5. Healthy people: promoting health and preventing disease. Read more

Show all articles

 

Latest Clinical Articles

Clinical Review - Renal colic

Contributed by Mr Ranan DasGupta, specialist registrar and Mr Jonathon Olsburgh, consultant urologic... Read more

Clinical Review - Stroke

By Dr Helen Hosker, GP and clinical commissioning lead for stroke, NHS Manchester, and Dr Pippa Tyrr... Read more

Sjogren's syndrome

Although it is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, Sjogren's syndrome remains underdiagnosed... Read more

Show all clinical articles

MIMS Product News

New drug - Intelence

Janssen-Cilag has launched Intelence (etravirine) for the treatment of HIV infection in antiretrovir... Read more

New drug - Doribax

Janssen-Cilag has launched Doribax (doripenem) for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia (including ... Read more

Ebixa dosing made easier

Ebixa (memantine) is now licensed for once-daily administration in the treatment of patients with mo... Read more

Jobs

 

Job of the Week