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Abstract

Between December 2023 and February 2025, six cases of malaria were reported in travellers returning to Italy from Zanzibar, a popular tourist destination often perceived as low risk. None had taken prophylaxis, five had severe malaria and two died. Diagnostic delays revealed a lack of clinical suspicion of malaria and awareness among travellers and healthcare professionals. These cases highlight the importance of malaria chemoprophylaxis and prevention for travellers to risk areas in Africa, clinical suspicion and rapid testing.

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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.25.2500412
2025-06-26
2025-06-30
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.25.2500412
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Plasmodium falciparum malaria in six travellers returning from Zanzibar to Italy, December 2023 to February 2025: a case series
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Claudia+Palazzolo&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Palazzolo Claudia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Angela+Corpolongo&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Corpolongo Angela</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Serena+Vita&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Vita Serena</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alessandra+D%E2%80%99Abramo&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">D’Abramo Alessandra</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gaetano+Maffongelli&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Maffongelli Gaetano</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Patrizia+De+Marco&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">De Marco Patrizia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jingjing+Lin&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lin Jingjing</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Silvia+D%E2%80%99Arezzo&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">D’Arezzo Silvia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Marco+Cilliano&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Cilliano Marco</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Maria+Laura+Pettinato&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Pettinato Maria Laura</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Maria+Grazia+Bocci&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Grazia Bocci Maria</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Emanuele+Nicastri&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Nicastri Emanuele</a></span>. Plasmodium falciparum malaria in six travellers returning from Zanzibar to Italy, December 2023 to February 2025: a case series. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2025;30(25):pii=2500412. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.25.2500412" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.25.2500412</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 17 Jun 2025;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 26 Jun 2025 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.25.2500412
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.25.2500412
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