Greece - 9 cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

[Gert van der Hoek]

KEELPNO

machinetranslation

Update on outbreak of malaria with evidence of domestic transmission
Laconia, 2012 (16/07/2012)

Case with evidence of domestic malaria transmission in Laconia
On 06/07/2012 reported to the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance and Intervention of
KEELPNO a case of malaria by Plasmodium vivax (confirmed laboratory
Chair of the Parasitic and Tropical Diseases, National School of Public Health
National School), a Greek woman, age 48, resident of Laconia Vlachiotis, which did not travel
endemic country for malaria.

The patient receives antimalarial treatment at home
while there was no need of hospitalization.

Under the relevant protocol KEELPNO response was already investigating the
"Outbreak" of infection (focus investigation), ie control for febrile and
informing residents within approximately 100 meters around the house of the patient.

During this investigation it was tested - so far - for 111 febrile individuals in 31
homes.

- snip -

During the active search for cases of malaria in the municipality of euros in the year
2012, until 16/07/2012, have a total of five cases diagnosed in immigrants
from endemic countries for malaria, which was directly supervised
therapy (Directly Observed Therapy).

Also, to the City of Laconia Eurotas started in April 2012, the screening
(Screening) for immigrants from endemic malaria countries.

On 22 June 2012, a case of locally acquired malaria infection was reported in Greece.

The case is a 78 year old Greek citizen who presumably acquired the infection close to Marathon, Attica region; onset of symptoms was around 7 June.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188787

[Giuseppe]

Re: Greece - 2 cases of locally acquired malaria - updated 07/20/2012

[Source: European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC), full page: (LINK). Edited.]

Epidemiological update: malaria in Greece

20 Jul 2012 / ECDC



On 22 June the Hellenic Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (KEELPNO) reported the first case of local Plasmodium vivax malaria in 2012 from Marathon, Attica region, Greece. The case was a 78-year-old male with onset of symptoms on 7 June, with no recent travel history in malaria endemic countries. The area of Marathon, Attica, was identified as the possible place of infection.

A second case of local Plasmodium vivax malaria was reported by KEELPNO on 17 July. The case concerned a 48 year old female resident of the municipality of Evrotas, Lakonia. The patient reported onset of symptoms on 29 June. The patient did not travel to a malaria-endemic area during the last 5 years.

In 2011, 40 cases of Plasmodium vivax infection were reported in Greece in patients without travel history to a malaria endemic area from five different districts, namely Lakonia (n=34), Attiki (n=2), Evoia (n=2), Viotia (n=1) and Larissa (n=1). A cluster of cases was identified in the area of Evrotas, lakonia where 27 cases were in Greek citizens residing in the area and 7 in immigrants from non-endemic countries. In addition, 23 cases of P. vivax in Lakonia were reported in migrant farm workers from malaria endemic countries. The two local cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria reported in 2012 were both from localities affected in 2011.

According to the ECDC risk assessment in October 2011, the current risk for malaria infection in Greece is to persons residing and/or working in the affected areas of Greece. The risk for travellers is considered to be low since both areas are agricultural rather than touristic. The risk for further extension of malaria transmission into the European Union in relation to this event is considered low at present.

The KEELPNO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and all stakeholders, developed and implements the strategic plan of action for malaria control in the country. The strategic plan determines all the control activities to be undertaken during the Anopheles season (spring-autumn 2012) in Greece. The main goal is to avoid the re-establishment of the disease in the country, through coordinated actions, which are implemented nationally and locally in a systematic manner.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes.

The incubation period varies between 7 and 15 days, but long incubation periods of several months (and years) have been observed for P. vivax malaria.

Malaria is characterised by fever and influenza-like symptoms, including chills, headache, myalgia, and malaise; these symptoms can occur at intervals.

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[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Greece - 6 cases of locally acquired malaria - updated 07/20/2012

Greek health authorities warn that Malaria could make a comeback.

Friday August 17, 2012

Malaria on the rise in Greece

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) has warned that malaria could be making a comeback in Greece 38 years after the country was officially deemed free of the disease.

According to KEELPNO, 40 cases of malaria were detected in Greece in the first seven months of this year. In six of those cases, those infected had no history of travel to countries where the potentially deadly disease is still endemic. The numbers are so far similar to last year, when there was a spike in September.

In previous years, there had been a total of 30-50 cases recorded but almost exclusively among people who had traveled to Greece from countries where malaria is still prevalent. KEELPNO attributed the rise in malaria cases to climate conditions, the activity of mosquitoes and a greater influx of immigrants. This prompted the watchdog to warn of a “real prospect” of the disease re-establishing itself in Greece.

ekathimerini

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Greece - 6 cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

machinetranslated

GREECE

A 7-year-old girl with malaria in Larissa hospital

Published: Wednesday 05 September 2012

Last update: 09.05.2012

With malaria hospitalized in the University Hospital of Larissa 7-year-old girl, who moved there in critical condition from the General Hospital of Trikala.

The condition is characterized stable and improving, but the hospital is expected to last several days.

The child lives in Athens and made holidays to grandparents in Trikala, while earlier had visited Laconia prefecture in which last year recorded several cases of malaria.

Tanea

Location of Laconia

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Greece - Cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

8 cases of domestic malaria

Two regions affected: Laconia and Attica.

From KEELPNO (= Greek CDC) - machinetranslation

Epidemiological data, 2012

From 01/01/2012 until 03/09/2012 have been diagnosed overall in Greece there are fifty one (51)
cases of malaria, of which 42 are imported (thirty-nine on immigrants
from endemic countries and three Greek travelers) based on historical movements and history
previous illness from malaria.

One case concerned a migrant from Morocco, resident municipality
Eurotas Laconia, with vague historical movement, whose infection was suspected
during the same period last year transmissivity (in 2011) and not included in further analysis.

For the remaining eight (8) cases there is evidence of domestic transmission. The place of residence,
ethnicity and classification of cases is presented in Table 1.

Specifically, on the eight (8) cases of malaria in patients who reported a history
travel to endemic areas for malaria, the place of residence is shown in Figure 1.
Four of these patients reside in the municipality Eurotas City Marathon Laconia, two
in Athens and two in the municipality Markopoulou Mesogaias Attica. In all patients confirmed
laboratory infection with Plasmodium vivax, the Department of Parasitology and Tropical Entomology.

ΚΕΕΛΠΝΟ

Laconia


Attica (Athens)

[Giuseppe]

Re: Greece - Cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

[Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), full page: (LINK). Edited.]

Epidemiological update: Malaria risk to travellers in Greece remains low

07 Sep 2012 / ECDC



On 22 June 2012 the Hellenic Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (KEELPNO) reported the first locally acquired case of Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) malaria, from Marathon area in Attica region, Greece. As of 3 September, KEELPNO has reported 50 cases of malaria since the beginning of 2012 in Greece. Forty-two of these concerned immigrants from malaria-endemic countries and were classified as imported cases while eight were classified as locally acquired. Of those eight cases, four were reported from the municipality of Evrotas, Laconia, and four from the department of East Attica in the Marathon area (2) and in Markopoulo (2). All samples were confirmed P. Vivax positive by the reference public health laboratory.

In 2011, 40 cases of P. vivax infection were reported in Greece in patients without travel history to a malaria-endemic area from five different districts, namely Laconia (34), Attica (2), Evvoia (2), Viotia (1) and Larisa (1). A cluster involving 27 Greek resident cases and 7 immigrant cases from non-endemic countries was identified in the area of Evrotas, Laconia. In addition, 23 cases of P. vivax in Lakonia were reported in migrant farm workers from malaria-endemic countries.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. The incubation period varies between 7 and 15 days, but long incubation periods of several months (and years) have been observed for P. vivax malaria.

According to ECDC?s risk assessment, the risk for travellers is considered to be low since both areas are agricultural rather than touristic. The risk for further extension of malaria transmission into Europe in relation to this event is considered low at present. Taking account of the present malaria situation in Greece, ECDC, the consulted experts from EuroTravNet and WHO do not recommend chemoprophylaxis for travellers to the agricultural areas of the Laconia region.

The use of standard mosquito biting prevention measures continues to be recommended.

The KEELPNO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and all stakeholders, developed and is implementing the strategic plan of action for malaria control in the country which defines the control activities to be undertaken during the Anopheles season (spring-autumn 2012) in Greece.

The main goal is to avoid the re-establishment of the disease in the country, through coordinated actions, which are implemented nationally and locally in a systematic manner.

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[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Greece - Cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

Monitoring current threats: ECDC Communicable disease threats report, 2-8 September 2012, week 36

14 Sep 2012

Two new autochthonous cases of malaria in Greece bringing the total for this year to eight autochthonous cases and 42 imported cases. The risk for travellers is considered to be low since both areas are agricultural rather than touristic.

ECDC

Latest KEELPNO update (PDF - in Greek)

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[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Greece - 9 cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

EPISOUTH

Location: Greece Event: Malaria

On 27th September 2012, The Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) reported one new malaria P. vivax autochthonous cases in Greece.

The case is located in Abdera city, Xanthi regional unit, part of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace (cf. map 4). It is the first time that this area is reporting a malaria P. vivax case.

On 3rd September, KEELPNO reported 2 additional cases in two areas already affected by malaria P. vivax in 2012 (cf. eWEB n° 230):

o One case in Evrotas municipality, Laconia regional unit (Peloponnese region).
o One case in Markopoulo Mesogaia municipality, East Attica regional unit (Attica region).

To date, a total of 9 autochthonous cases infected in 2012 has been reported in 3 different regions in Greece:

o 4 in East Attica regional unit. The first autochthonous malaria case was reported on 18th June 2012 (cf. eWEB n°224)
o 4 in Evrotas municipality, Laconia regional unit, Peloponnese region.
o 1 in Xanthi regional unit, East of Macedonia and Thrace region.

The occurrence of new cases in Evrotas and East Attica regional units confirms the establishment of a local transmission cycle of P. vivax malaria in these two areas.

The report of a P. vivax malaria case in a new area strongly suggests an extension of the circulation of malaria in other areas in Greece.

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[Shiloh]

Re: Greece - 9 cases of locally acquired malaria in 2012

Source: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/...-sept-2012.htm

Outbreak Notice
Malaria in Greece

This information is current as of today, October 20, 2012 at 13:42 EDT

Updated: October 19, 2012
What Is the Current Situation?

Cases of malaria continue to be reported in Greece. Some new cases have occurred in areas of Greece where malaria had not been previously reported. Cases of malaria have been reported from the Attica, Karditsa, Laconia, Viotia, and Xanthi regions of Greece. Cases have occurred in the cities of Evrotas, Marathon, Markopoulo, and Selino. No cases have been reported in Athens. The Hellenic (Greek) CDC and the European CDC are improving surveillance for malaria cases. In affected areas, mosquito control has been intensified, health care providers have been educated, and the public has been informed...