J Infect Public Health
November 2018
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.
Purpose: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by the parasite Leishmania infantum, which was once largely confined to Southern Europe is now being diagnosed throughout Northern Europe, including Great Britain. In an effort to help EU clinicians improve their diagnosis and management of VL, this paper defines clinical features typical of the disease as it presents in Bulgaria, where VL is endemic.
Methods: The list of clinical symptoms presented here was gleaned from the medical records (patient histories, epidemiological survey cards, laboratory data) of 59 Bulgarian patients with VL.