MALARIA IMPORTED BY IMMIGRANTS IN CATALON IA (SPAIN)

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to analyze the epidemiolo gic aspects and particular features of malaria in immigrants in Catalo nia, Spain. METHODS: All the immigrants who visited the Unit of Tropic al and Imported Diseases ''Drassanes'' in Barcelona from endemic zones of malaria from 1990 to 1993 were studied. The diagnosis of malaria w as based on the thick blood film, peripheral blood swear exam and, sin ce 1991, the QBC (Quantitative Buffy Coat(R)). RESULTS: One hundred th ree cases of malaria were diagnosed in 100 individuals from a total of 2,453 visited immigrants. Forty-four percent of the patients presente d febrile syndrome, 11% cutaneous syndrome accompanied by other manife stations justifying the same, 9% presented other clinical manifestatio ns and 36% were assymptomatic Ninety-six percent of the subjects with parasites by Plasmodium were from Subsaharian Africa and in 2 cases, b oth were produced by Plasmodium falciparum, with the length of time ha ving been in Spain at the time of diagnosis being more than one year. P. falciparum represented 70% of the total cases, followed by P. malar iae(15%), P. vivax (8%), Plasmodium spp. (6%) and P. ovate (1%). CONCL USIONS Malaria by P. falciparum in semi-immune immigrants is not usual ly severe and follows an assymptomatic course in more than one third o f the cases. The usual analysis for Plasmodium is recommended in immig rants from Subsaharian Africa due to the high frequency of presentatio n and the absence of symptoms. Such analysis is not advised in groups from other areas except when suggestive symptoms are present.