Malaria among patients and aid workers consulting a primary healthcare centre in Leogane, Haiti, November 2010 to February 2011 – a prospective observational study

A Neuberger; O Zaulan; S Tenenboim; S Vernet; R Pex; K Held; M Urman; K Garpenfeldt; E Schwartz

doi:10.2807/ese.16.13.19829-en

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Malaria among patients and aid workers consulting a primary healthcare centre in Leogane, Haiti, November 2010 to February 2011 – a prospective observational study

A Neuberger^1,2, O Zaulan¹, S Tenenboim^1,3, S Vernet¹, R Pex¹, K Held^1,4, M Urman^1,5, K Garpenfeldt¹, E Schwartz^1,3
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Affiliations: ¹ Israaid Primary Health Clinic, Leogane, Haiti ² Unit of Infectious Diseases, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel ³ The Center for Geographic Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer & Sackler Faculty of Medicine,Tel Aviv University, Israel ⁴ Emergency Department, Markham Stouffville Hospital, Markham, Ontario, Canada ⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

Correspondence:
A Neuberger
a_neuberger rambam.health.gov.il
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Citation style for this article: Neuberger A, Zaulan O, Tenenboim S, Vernet S, Pex R, Held K, Urman M, Garpenfeldt K, Schwartz E. Malaria among patients and aid workers consulting a primary healthcare centre in Leogane, Haiti, November 2010 to February 2011 – a prospective observational study. Euro Surveill. 2011;16(13):pii=19829. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.16.13.19829-en Received: 20 Mar 2011

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is endemic in Haiti, but epidemiological data are scarce. A total of 61 cases of malaria were diagnosed between November 2010 and February 2011 among 130 Haitian patients with undifferentiated fever. Three additional cases were diagnosed in expatriates not taking the recommended chemoprophylaxis. No cases were diagnosed among aid workers using chemoprophylaxis. In conclusion, malaria is a significant health problem in Leogane, Haiti. Aid workers and visitors should use chemoprophylaxis according to existing guidelines.