Cryptic severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in a Moroccan man living in Tuscany, Italy, August 2018

Euro Surveill. 2018 Oct;23(41):1800527. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.41.1800527.

Abstract

In August 2018 a Moroccan man living in Tuscany developed Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The patient declared having not recently visited any endemic country, leading to diagnostic delay and severe malaria. As susceptibility to P. falciparum of Anopheles species in Tuscany is very low, and other risk factors for acquiring malaria could not be completely excluded, the case remains cryptic, similar to other P. falciparum malaria cases previously reported in African individuals living in Apulia in 2017.

Keywords: Anopheles spp.; Europe; Italy; Plasmodium falciparum; autochthonous; malaria.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intravenous
  • Administration, Oral
  • Antimalarials / administration & dosage
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Artemisinins / administration & dosage
  • Artemisinins / therapeutic use
  • Artesunate / administration & dosage
  • Artesunate / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Malaria, Falciparum / diagnosis*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Morocco
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification*
  • Quinolines / administration & dosage
  • Quinolines / therapeutic use
  • Transients and Migrants
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Artemisinins
  • Quinolines
  • Artesunate
  • artenimol
  • piperaquine