Imported malaria in Bulgaria, status and prognosis after eradication in 1965.

BACKGROUND

This retrospective analysis assessed all recorded malaria cases in Bulgaria after 1965, when the country was certified as malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), and evaluated the readiness of the public health system to interrupt an outbreak of local transmission in case of infection importation.

METHODS

The cases were analyzed according to causative species; geographic origin of the imported case; and the citizenship, age, and gender of the infected individuals.

RESULTS

In the 50-year study period (1966-2015), there were a total of 3011 cases of malaria imported to Bulgaria from different regions of the world. The majority of the cases originating in Africa were caused by Plasmodium falciparum (65.5%), while most of these originating in Asia were caused by P. vivax (80.9%). The potential season for malaria transmission in Bulgaria is from April to October, and 58.5% of the malaria cases were imported during that time of the year.

CONCLUSIONS

The increasing movement of people to and from areas endemic for malaria requires the health authorities of countries with appropriate conditions for reintroduction to conduct enhanced measures for surveillance and control of this potentially deadly disease.