Abstract
Due to the increasing number of returnees from malaria endemic areas, imported malaria has become a public health challenge in China. To better understand the characteristics of imported Plasmodium species and adjust appropriate strategies for malaria prevention and control in Eastern China, we conducted molecular detection and species identification on 1282 imported malaria cases in Shandong Province between 2012 and 2018. The findings showed that P. falciparum was predominant, particularly in cases imported from Africa. P. vivax was the dominant species imported from Asian countries. Additionally, imported P. ovale and P. malariae emerged in the province. Further surveillance and control of imported malaria among returnees from Africa and Southeast Asia is needed to be strengthened in Eastern China.
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Funding
This work was supported by the Medicine and Health Science Technology Development Plan of Shandong Province (No. 202001050479), Academic Promotion Programme of Shandong First Medical University (No. 2019QL005), and the Innovation Project of Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences.
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CX analyzed the data and wrote the paper. KY designed the study. YW collected the data and contributed to revision of the manuscript. BZ contributed to statistical data of the manuscript. JL, HS, TX, GZ and QW conducted the molecular experiment. XK and GY collected the data. All authors read and approved the final form of the manuscript.
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This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases (Jining, China). Informed consent was acquired from each participant or guardian for minors before the study.
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Xu, C., Wang, Y., Li, J. et al. Molecular detection and species identification of Plasmodium spp. infection among imported cases in Eastern China, 2012–2018. Parasitol Res 122, 1695–1699 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-023-07865-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-023-07865-9