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Risk of malaria in visitors to the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
J Travel Med. 1998 Dec; 5(4):173-7.JT

Abstract

BACKGROUND

The risk of malaria to visitors to South Africa's nature reserves is unknown. Current recommendations for travelers are based on malaria incidence rates in local communities. These rates may well overestimate travelers' malaria risk and lead to unnecessary use of antimalarial prophylaxis with associated drug-related adverse events. This study investigated the incidence of malaria in visitors to South Africa's Kruger National Park (KNP).

METHODS

Postal questionnaires were sent to the cohort of visitors staying in the KNP during April 1996, 6 to 8 weeks after they returned to their homes. Nonrespondents received duplicate questionnaires 8 weeks later. Responses from 3267 groups, representing 11,107 visitors (56. 8%) allowed determination of the malaria attack rate in this group of travelers and assessment of associations between malaria risk and a number of factors, including type of accommodation used during the visit; duration of stay; use of chemoprophylaxis; and use of personal protection measures. All travelers indicating that they had suffered an episode of malaria following their visit were telephonically contacted and their health providers traced to determine the basis of diagnosis and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

One clinically suspected and four confirmed cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria among the visitors suggest a low attack rate of 4. 5 cases per 10,000 visitors during April, the highest risk month for malaria in South Africa. No association was found between malaria risk and accommodation type, duration of stay, use and type of chemoprophylaxis, and use and number of personal protection measures.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings confirm the importance of careful assessment of local malaria risk before individualized advice is provided to travelers.

Links

Publisher Full Text
academic.oup.com
onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Authors+Show Affiliations

Durrheim DN
Communicable Disease Control, Mpumalanga Department of Health, South Africa.
Braack LE
No affiliation info available
Waner S
No affiliation info available
Gammon S
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHumansIncidenceMalaria, FalciparumMaleMiddle AgedRiskRisk FactorsSouth AfricaSurveys and QuestionnairesTravel

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

9876190

Citation

Durrheim, D N., et al. "Risk of Malaria in Visitors to the Kruger National Park, South Africa." Journal of Travel Medicine, vol. 5, no. 4, 1998, pp. 173-7.
Durrheim DN, Braack LE, Waner S, et al. Risk of malaria in visitors to the Kruger National Park, South Africa. J Travel Med. 1998;5(4):173-7.
Durrheim, D. N., Braack, L. E., Waner, S., & Gammon, S. (1998). Risk of malaria in visitors to the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Journal of Travel Medicine, 5(4), 173-7.
Durrheim DN, et al. Risk of Malaria in Visitors to the Kruger National Park, South Africa. J Travel Med. 1998;5(4):173-7. PubMed PMID: 9876190.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Risk of malaria in visitors to the Kruger National Park, South Africa. AU - Durrheim,D N, AU - Braack,L E, AU - Waner,S, AU - Gammon,S, PY - 1999/1/7/pubmed PY - 1999/1/7/medline PY - 1999/1/7/entrez SP - 173 EP - 7 JF - Journal of travel medicine JO - J Travel Med VL - 5 IS - 4 N2 - BACKGROUND: The risk of malaria to visitors to South Africa's nature reserves is unknown. Current recommendations for travelers are based on malaria incidence rates in local communities. These rates may well overestimate travelers' malaria risk and lead to unnecessary use of antimalarial prophylaxis with associated drug-related adverse events. This study investigated the incidence of malaria in visitors to South Africa's Kruger National Park (KNP). METHODS: Postal questionnaires were sent to the cohort of visitors staying in the KNP during April 1996, 6 to 8 weeks after they returned to their homes. Nonrespondents received duplicate questionnaires 8 weeks later. Responses from 3267 groups, representing 11,107 visitors (56. 8%) allowed determination of the malaria attack rate in this group of travelers and assessment of associations between malaria risk and a number of factors, including type of accommodation used during the visit; duration of stay; use of chemoprophylaxis; and use of personal protection measures. All travelers indicating that they had suffered an episode of malaria following their visit were telephonically contacted and their health providers traced to determine the basis of diagnosis and clinical outcome. RESULTS: One clinically suspected and four confirmed cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria among the visitors suggest a low attack rate of 4. 5 cases per 10,000 visitors during April, the highest risk month for malaria in South Africa. No association was found between malaria risk and accommodation type, duration of stay, use and type of chemoprophylaxis, and use and number of personal protection measures. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the importance of careful assessment of local malaria risk before individualized advice is provided to travelers. SN - 1195-1982 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/9876190/full_citation L2 - https://academic.oup.com/jtm/article-lookup/doi/10.1111/j.1708-8305.1998.tb00502.x DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -