Malaria in Poland in 2012.

Objective: To describe the epidemiological situation of imported malaria in Poland in 2012 as compared with previous years.

Material And Methods: Evaluation of malaria epidemiological situation in Poland in 2012, based on the results of the analysis of individual reports sent to the NIPH-NIH by the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations and aggregate data published in the annual bulletins "Infectious Diseases and Poisonings in Poland". Cases were registered according to the case definition approved in the EU countries.

Results: In 2012, a total of 21 malaria cases were registered in Poland, including one fatal case. All cases were imported from malaria-endemic countries: 52% from Africa and remaining cases from Asia. Overall, compared to 2011, 7 more cases were reported. Given a median for the years 2006-2010, the number remained at the same level. In one patient the recurrence of malaria falciparum was observed following the failure of treatment undertaken in Cameroon. Plasmodium species was determined in 18 cases (86%); including 10 (61%) caused by P. falciparum, 6 (33%) by P. vivax and one by P. malariae. One patient was diagnosed with mixed invasion. Infections were occurred most frequently during work-related trips (43%) or tourist trips (38%), in other cases the purpose of the journey was to visit the country of origin (14%) or its purpose remained unknown. Only four people took any chemoprophylaxis; in one case, a drug matched inappropriately to the destination was applied, the remaining three persons applied drugs contrary to the recommended drug regimen.

Conclusions: The number of cases of imported malaria in Poland remained at a low level, similar to that observed in previous years. A large number of delayed diagnoses (more than half of the reported cases) and another case of fatal outcome in the course of malaria indicate still low awareness of malaria threat among both travelers and primary care physicians.