Background: Imported malaria cases continue to pose major challenges in China as well as in other countries that have achieved elimination. Early diagnosis and treatment of each imported malaria case is the key to successfully maintaining malaria elimination success. This study aimed to build an easy-to-use predictive nomogram to predict and intervene against delayed care-seeking among international migrant workers with imported malaria.
Methods: A prediction model was built based on cases with imported malaria from 2012 to 2019, in Jiangsu Province, China. Routine surveillance information (e.g. sex, age, symptoms, origin country and length of stay abroad), data on the place of initial care-seeking and the gross domestic product (GDP) of the destination city were extracted. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors and a nomogram was established to predict the risk of delayed care-seeking. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram was performed using area under the curve and calibration plots. In addition, four machine learning models were used to make a comparison.
Results: Of 2255 patients with imported malaria, 636 (28.2%) sought care within 24 h after symptom onset, and 577 (25.6%) sought care 3 days after symptom onset. Development of symptoms before entry into China, initial care-seeking from superior healthcare facilities and a higher GDP level of the destination city were significantly associated with delayed care-seeking among migrant workers with imported malaria. Based on these independent risk factors, an easy-to-use and intuitive nomogram was established. The calibration curves of the nomogram showed good consistency.
Conclusions: The tool provides public health practitioners with a method for the early detection of delayed care-seeking risk among international migrant workers with imported malaria, which may be of significance in improving post-travel healthcare for labour migrants, reducing the risk of severe malaria, preventing malaria reintroduction and sustaining achievements in malaria elimination.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taae021 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Detecting imported malaria infections in endemic settings using molecular surveillance: current state and challenges.
Front Epidemiol
February 2025
Malaria Research Group (MaRch), Family Medicine and Population Health Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
The Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 targets eliminating malaria from at least 35 countries and reducing case incidence by 90% globally. The importation of parasites due to human mobilization poses a significant obstacle to achieve malaria elimination as it can undermine the effectiveness of local interventions. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of parasite importation is essential to support control efforts and advance progress toward elimination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWolbachia bacteria in Mansonella perstans isolates from patients infected in different geographical areas: a pilot study from the ESCMID Study Group for Clinical Parasitology.
Parasit Vectors
March 2025
Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, 37024 Negrar Di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy.
Article Synopsis
- Mansonella perstans is a filarial parasite endemic to sub-Saharan Africa with inconsistent treatment protocols and unclear effectiveness, prompting a study to analyze the presence of Wolbachia in its samples.
- The study analyzed 19 samples from patients infected with M. perstans from various West African countries, finding that 74% contained Wolbachia, with some countries having Wolbachia detected for the first time.
- Results indicated that the presence of Wolbachia could influence treatment strategies, specifically suggesting that doxycycline could be effective, although discrepancies in sample results may point to technical challenges or the existence of different M. perstans populations.
Falciparum Malaria in Japan: Diagnostic Difficulty in Non-endemic Areas and the Importance of Immediate Referral.
Cureus
February 2025
Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN.
In Japan, malaria is rare, and only a few institutions have the diagnostic capabilities to treat it. In falciparum malaria, the symptoms and signs of the disease are non-specific, and diagnostic delay in symptomatic patients can be fatal. Herein, we describe a case of falciparum malaria that achieved good outcomes in a patient who initially visited an institution in Japan that lacked malaria diagnostic resources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe rising proportion of Plasmodium ovale spp. in imported malaria in Anhui Province, China: A retrospective propensity score-matched case-control study.
Acta Trop
March 2025
National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai 200025, China. Electronic address:
No autochthonous malaria cases have been reported in Anhui Province, China, since 2014. However, imported malaria remains a significant public health concern. Moreover, the proportion of reported imported malaria cases attributed to Plasmodium ovale spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProdrug activation in malaria parasites mediated by an imported erythrocyte esterase, acylpeptide hydrolase (APEH).
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
March 2025
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
The continued emergence of antimalarial drug resistance highlights the need to develop new antimalarial therapies. Unfortunately, new drug development is often hampered by undesirable drug-like properties of lead compounds. Prodrug approaches temporarily mask undesirable compound features, improving bioavailability and target penetration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!