[Malaria travel disease--importation to Germany 1988].

Malaria continues to be an important travellers' disease in Germany. In 1988 885 cases of malaria were imported into the Federal Republic of Germany. German tourists to far-away countries represented the biggest share (about 80%). Africa was the most prominently represented continent with 76%. Differentiation according to species of pathogens showed that 68% of the diseases were caused by Plasmodium falciparum. 11 patients died of malaria in 1988, in all cases due to P. falciparum infection. The mortality of the patients increases with age. Only in 5 of 11 persons who died there had been a sufficient prophylaxis against malaria, at least as far as the anamnesis revealed. Careful planning of sufficient prophylaxis taking into consideration the partly very marked resistance to a multitude of drugs, as well as competent medical advice to would-be travellers, are imperative before the number of malaria imports into Germany can be reduced.