Increasing Imported Malaria in Southwest Madrid, Spain

Abstract

We report a continuous increase of imported malaria cases in a Madrid District, from 8 patients seen in year 1999 to 39 in year 2004, parallel to the rising of immigrant population from malarious areas along the past 6 years. We describe their epidemiological and parasitological characteristics. Plasmodium falciparum was the most frequent species observed, accounting for 68% of the cases. Most patients were immigrants recently settled in Spain who return after a visit to their countries of origin, mainly sub-Saharan countries.