1.Characteristics of Imported Malaria and Species of Plasmodium Involved in Shandong Province, China (2012-2014).
Chao XU ; Qing Kuan WEI ; Jin LI ; Ting XIAO ; Kun YIN ; Chang Lei ZHAO ; Yong Bin WANG ; Xiang Li KONG ; Gui Hua ZHAO ; Hui SUN ; Xin LIU ; Bing Cheng HUANG
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2016;54(4):407-414
Malaria remains a serious public health problem in Shandong Province, China; therefore, it is important to explore the characteristics of the current malaria prevalence situation in the province. In this study, data of malaria cases reported in Shandong during 2012-2014 were analyzed, and Plasmodium species were confirmed by smear microscopy and nested-PCR. A total of 374 malaria cases were reported, 80.8% of which were reported from 6 prefectures. Of all cases, P. falciparum was dominant (81.3%), followed by P. vivax (11.8%); P. ovale and P. malariae together accounted for 6.4% of cases. Notably, for the first time since 2012, no indigenous case had been reported in Shandong Province, a situation that continued through 2014. Total 95.2% of cases were imported from Africa. The ratio of male/female was 92.5:1, and 96.8% of cases occurred in people 20-54 years of age. Farmers or laborers represented 77.5% of cases. No significant trends of monthly pattern were found in the reported cases. All patients were in good condition after treatment, except for 3 who died. These results indicate that imported malaria has increased significantly since 2012 in Shandong Province, especially for P. falciparum, and there is an emergence of species diversity.
Africa
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China*
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Farmers
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Humans
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Malaria*
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Microscopy
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Plasmodium falciparum
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Plasmodium malariae
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Plasmodium ovale
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Plasmodium vivax
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Plasmodium*
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Prevalence
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Public Health