[Epidemiological characteristics and diagnosis of imported and malaria cases in five provinces of China from 2014 to 2021].

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and diagnosis of imported and malaria cases in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Henan Province from 2014 to 2021, so as to provide insights into malaria control in these five provinces.

Methods: All data pertaining to malaria cases reported in five provinces of China were captured from Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System from 2014 to 2021, and the epidemiological characteristics of imported and malaria cases were analysed using a descriptive epidemiological method. The duration from onset of malaria to initial diagnosis, duration from initial diagnosis to definitive diagnosis, institutions of initial and definitive diagnoses, and proportion of correct malaria diagnosis at initial diagnosis were statistically analyzed.

Results: A total of 1 223 imported and malaria cases were reported in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province, Henan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2021, there were 158 malaria cases (12.92%) and 1 065 malaria cases (87.08%). Totally 98.53% (1 205/1 223) of the imported malaria cases were from Africa, with Angola (18.99%, 30/158), Nigeria (11.39%,18/158), Cameroon (10.76%, 17/158), Ghana (10.13%, 16/158) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (10.13%,16/158) as predominant countries where malaria cases were from, and Ghana (23.19%, 247/1 065), Cameroon (14.74%, 157/1 065), Nigeria (9.39%, 100/1 065) and Angola (6.95%, 74/1 065) as predominant countries where malaria cases were from. There were significant differences in the duration from onset of malaria to initial diagnosis (χ = 27.673, = 0.000) and duration from initial diagnosis to definitive diagnosis of and malaria cases (χ = 29.808, = 0.000), and the proportions of correct initial diagnosis of and malaria cases were 38.61% (61/158) and 56.53% (602/1 065). There were 74.69% (118/158) of malaria cases with definitive diagnosis in county-, city-, and province-level medical institutions, and 79.25% (844/1 065) of malaria cases with definitive diagnosis in county- and city-level medical institutions and county-level centers for disease control and prevention.

Conclusions: The imported and malaria cases in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province, Henan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2021 were mainly returned from Africa and the proportion of correct diagnosis of and malaria was low at initial diagnosis. Persistent improvements in the diagnostic capability of malaria are required in medical institutions.