A recent study has found an increase in cases of airport and luggage malaria in Europe in recent years. The study identified 145 cases between 2018 and 2022, with 105 classified as airport malaria, 32 as luggage malaria, and eight cases where the type was not distinguished. More than a third of reported cases since 2000 occurred between 2018 and 2022, with a peak in 2019. Airport malaria, also known as Odyssean malaria, refers to an infection incurred by someone who has not traveled to a malaria-endemic region but is infected by a mosquito transported by luggage or aircraft.
The majority of airport malaria cases in the study were reported in France, Belgium, and Germany. Patients often worked near or lived close to an international airport, with men being disproportionately affected. Luggage malaria cases are rarer, with only 32 cases recorded during the five-year study period. Most cases were reported in France, Italy, and Germany, with Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport being frequently mentioned. Of the cases with a known outcome, 124 patients recovered, and nine died, with those who died typically being in their late 50s.
To address the increase in cases of airport and luggage malaria, researchers recommend that airlines follow World Health Organization disinsection procedures, which involve spraying pesticide in passenger cabins and the cargo hold. Physicians are also advised to consider malaria as a cause when treating cases of unexplained fever in patients without a travel history that suggests infection. Malaria is typically found in tropical climates in regions of Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and parts of the Middle East. The disease kills more than 400,000 people annually, with children under 5 and pregnant women being most at risk.
Malaria is transmitted through a bite from an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Last year, authorities reported malaria spreading from mosquitoes to people in the US for the first time in two decades. Symptoms of malaria include fever, shaking, chills, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and exhaustion. While malaria can be effectively treated when diagnosed early, if left untreated, it can lead to complications such as jaundice, anemia, kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. The new research highlights the importance of maintaining vigilance in preventing and treating malaria cases, particularly in regions where the disease is less common.
