BMJ 1998;317:1506-1508 ( 28 November )

Clinical review

Lesson of the week

Malaria at Christmas: risks of prophylaxis versus risks of malaria

Health professionals need to educate travellers about the dangers of malaria and the importance of prophylaxis

A J C Reid, registrar,  C J M Whitty, senior registrar,  H M Ayles, registrar,  R M Jennings, senior registrar,  B A Bovill, senior registrar,  J M Felton, senior registrar,  R H Behrens, consultant in travel medicine,  A D M Bryceson, consultant physician,  D C W Mabey, professor in communicable diseases. 

Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London NW1 0PE

Correspondence to: Professor Mabey d.mabey@lshtm.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

There was a large increase in the number of cases of falciparum malaria imported into the United Kingdom and reported to the malaria reference laboratory in the first quarter of 1998.¹ The two factors cited to explain this increase were unusually heavy rains in east Africa and a reduction in the use of the most effective antimalaria drug, mefloquine.¹ At the same time there was an increase in the number of cases of severe malaria in the United Kingdom.¹ During December 1997 and January 1998 this hospital treated five patients for severe malaria and gave advice on a further 20 patients with malaria who had been admitted to intensive care units throughout England. Of the 25 patients, 13 were male (median adult age 50; range 23 to 85) and two were children. Twenty two of those treated were of European origin. Altogether 20 patients had travelled to east Africa (16 to Kenya and at least six of . . . [Full text of this article]

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