TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology of imported malaria among children and young adults in Barcelona (1990-2008)
AU - Garcia-Villarrubia, Mireia
AU - Millet, Juan Pablo
AU - De Olalla, Patricia Garcia
AU - Gascán, Joaquim
AU - Fumadá, Victoria
AU - Gómez I Prat, Jordi
AU - Treviño, Begoña
AU - Pinazo, María Jesús
AU - Cabezos, Juan
AU - Muñoz, José
AU - Zarzuela, Francesc
AU - Caylà, Joan A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Thank you to the healthcare and administrative personnel at the Public Health Agency of Barcelona Epidemiology Service, without whom this study would not have been possible. We would also like to express our gratitude to the nurses who are responsible for data collection (Milagros Sanz, Miriam Ros, Pilar Gorrindo, Pere Simón, Eva Masdeu and Dolors Villalante). The Hospital Clinic data are based upon work supported by grant 2009SGR385 from the Department d’Universitats, Recerca i Societat de la Informació de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain. Thank you to the laboratory technicians, training personnel, to Martí Casals, the ASPB statistician, and to physicians who reported cases to the Public Health Agency. Many thanks to Jeanne L. Nelson, Lucía del Baño and Laia Fina for their help in the translation.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Background: Increasing international travel and migration is producing changes in trends in infectious diseases, especially in children from many European cities. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology and determine the trends of imported malaria in patients under 20 years old in the city of Barcelona, Spain, during an 18-year period. Methods. The study included malaria cases that were laboratory confirmed and reported to the malaria register at the Public Health Agency of Barcelona from 1990 to 2008, residing in Barcelona and less than 20 years old. Patients were classified as natives (born in Spain) or immigrants. Differences in the distribution of demographic, clinical characteristics, and incidence per 100,000 person-year evolution were analysed. Natives and immigrants were compared by logistic regression by calculating the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and Chi-square for a linear trend (p < 0.05). Results: Of the total 174 cases, 143 (82.1%) were immigrants, 100 (57.5%) were female, 121 (69.5%) Plasmodium falciparum, and 108 (62.1%) were visiting friends and relatives (VFR) as the reason for travel. Among the immigrants, 99 (67.8%) were from Equatorial Guinea. Immigrant cases more frequently travelled to Africa than natives (p = 0.02). The factors associated with imported malaria among immigrant residents was travelling for VFR (OR: 6.2 CI 1.9-20.2) and age 15-19 (OR: 3.7 CI 1-13.3). The incidence increased from 1990 to 1999 (p < 0.001) and decreased from 2000 to 2008 (p = 0.01), although the global linear trend was not statistically significant (p = 0.41). The fatality rate was 0.5%. Conclusions: The majority of cases of malaria in population less than 20 years in Barcelona were immigrants, travelling to Africa for VFR and Plasmodium falciparum was most frequently detected. The trend analysis of the entire study period did not show a statistically significant decline. It is recommended to be aware of malaria, especially among children of immigrants who travel to their parent's home country for VFR. Better access to pre travel advice should be provided.
AB - Background: Increasing international travel and migration is producing changes in trends in infectious diseases, especially in children from many European cities. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology and determine the trends of imported malaria in patients under 20 years old in the city of Barcelona, Spain, during an 18-year period. Methods. The study included malaria cases that were laboratory confirmed and reported to the malaria register at the Public Health Agency of Barcelona from 1990 to 2008, residing in Barcelona and less than 20 years old. Patients were classified as natives (born in Spain) or immigrants. Differences in the distribution of demographic, clinical characteristics, and incidence per 100,000 person-year evolution were analysed. Natives and immigrants were compared by logistic regression by calculating the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and Chi-square for a linear trend (p < 0.05). Results: Of the total 174 cases, 143 (82.1%) were immigrants, 100 (57.5%) were female, 121 (69.5%) Plasmodium falciparum, and 108 (62.1%) were visiting friends and relatives (VFR) as the reason for travel. Among the immigrants, 99 (67.8%) were from Equatorial Guinea. Immigrant cases more frequently travelled to Africa than natives (p = 0.02). The factors associated with imported malaria among immigrant residents was travelling for VFR (OR: 6.2 CI 1.9-20.2) and age 15-19 (OR: 3.7 CI 1-13.3). The incidence increased from 1990 to 1999 (p < 0.001) and decreased from 2000 to 2008 (p = 0.01), although the global linear trend was not statistically significant (p = 0.41). The fatality rate was 0.5%. Conclusions: The majority of cases of malaria in population less than 20 years in Barcelona were immigrants, travelling to Africa for VFR and Plasmodium falciparum was most frequently detected. The trend analysis of the entire study period did not show a statistically significant decline. It is recommended to be aware of malaria, especially among children of immigrants who travel to their parent's home country for VFR. Better access to pre travel advice should be provided.
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U2 - 10.1186/1475-2875-10-347
DO - 10.1186/1475-2875-10-347
M3 - Article
C2 - 22118531
AN - SCOPUS:82055181556
SN - 1475-2875
VL - 10
JO - Malaria journal
JF - Malaria journal
M1 - 347
ER -