Epidemiology of imported malaria cases in jordan between 2000 and 2005

Abstract EN

Objectives: To determine some epidemiological aspects of imported malaria cases among Jordanians and non-Jordanians who returned to Jordan from endemic areas and to highlight the importance of compliance with prophylaxis against this disease and identify the type of plasmodium species causing the disease.

Methods: This is a descriptive study of the imported malaria cases registered at Malaria and Bilharzia Division, Ministry of Health in Jordan.

The study included all people registered and tested for malaria at Malaria Division between January 2000 and December 2005.

All subjects gave a peripheral blood sample to detect malaria parasite by thick smear method.

Results: From 2000 to 2005, out of 304,314 blood smears, 808 had positive results (detection of malaria parasites) in their blood sample.

Out of the total number of 808 cases 606 (75%) were infected with plasmodium vivax, 201 (24.9%) with plasmodium falciparum, one (0.1%) subject had mixed infection.

There were no positive cases of plasmodium malarie in our study period.

The geographic distributions of these imported cases were mainly from East Africa (Sudan and Eritrea) and South East Asia (Timor).

Jordanian nationals constituted 589 (72.9%) cases and the majority of them were military personnel who participated in Peace Keeping Forces all over the world.

Conclusion: The continued presence of imported malaria in Jordan calls for emphasis on effective prophylaxis especially among Jordanian Peace Keeping Forces to prevent resurgence of this disease and to keep Jordan at a low incidence of malaria.