Ladhani S, Aibara R J, Blaze M, Smith V, Shingadia D V
Academic Centre for Child Health, Royal London Hospital, 38 New Road, Whitechapel, London E1 2AX, UK.
Arch Dis Child. 2006 Nov;91(11):911-4. doi: 10.1136/adc.2005.089433. Epub 2006 Jun 28.
To describe the epidemiology of imported malaria in children in the UK.
Surveillance data on children with imported malaria, collected through an enhanced surveillance network set up by the Malaria Reference Laboratory (London, UK), diagnosed between January 1999 and December 2003 were analysed.
Over the 5-year study period, 9238 cases were reported to the Malaria Reference Laboratory, and children accounted for 1456 (14.8%) cases. The number of imported paediatric malaria cases fell from 326 in 1999 to 241 in 2003. Malarial infection occurred in children of all ages and the number of patients increased gradually with age. Visiting family and relatives was the most common reason for travel (59.5%), with only 7.2% travelling to an area endemic to malaria on holiday. Most infections (88.4%) were acquired in Africa, and mainly in Nigeria (49.7%). Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for 81.7% of all cases, followed by P. vivax (11.1%). The number of both P. falciparum and P. vivax cases fell gradually from 262 and 45 cases in 1999 to 196 and 20 cases in 2003, respectively. Malaria prophylaxis was taken by 39% of 500 children with malaria who had travelled to a country endemic to malaria. The proportion of children with malaria who had taken malaria prophylaxis decreased steadily from 53% in 1999 to 29% in 2003. Two (0.14%) children died compared with 62 (0.76%) adults over the 5-year study period (p = 0.007).
Although the incidence of malaria has started to decline, a considerable number of children are still diagnosed with malaria in the UK. In addition, the proportion of children with malaria who had taken malaria prophylaxis is falling. Although it is reassuring to note the low mortality, there is an urgent need to improve preventive measures among families travelling to high-risk countries.
描述英国儿童输入性疟疾的流行病学特征。
分析通过英国伦敦疟疾参考实验室建立的强化监测网络收集的1999年1月至2003年12月期间确诊的儿童输入性疟疾监测数据。
在5年研究期间，向疟疾参考实验室报告了9238例病例，其中儿童占1456例（14.8%）。输入性儿童疟疾病例数从1999年的326例降至2003年的241例。各年龄段儿童均有疟疾感染发生，且患者数量随年龄逐渐增加。探亲访友是最常见的出行原因（59.5%），仅有7.2%的儿童是去疟疾流行地区度假。大多数感染（88.4%）发生在非洲，主要是尼日利亚（49.7%）。恶性疟原虫导致了所有病例的81.7%，其次是间日疟原虫（11.1%）。恶性疟原虫和间日疟原虫病例数分别从1999年的262例和45例逐渐降至2003年的196例和20例。在前往疟疾流行国家的500名患疟疾儿童中，39%的儿童采取了疟疾预防措施。采取疟疾预防措施的患疟疾儿童比例从1999年的53%稳步降至2003年的29%。在5年研究期间，有2名（0.14%）儿童死亡，而成人死亡62例（0.76%）（p = 0.007）。
尽管疟疾发病率已开始下降，但英国仍有相当数量的儿童被诊断为疟疾。此外，采取疟疾预防措施的患疟疾儿童比例正在下降。尽管死亡率较低令人安心，但迫切需要改善前往高风险国家的家庭的预防措施。
