Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Apr 3;76(7):1161-1163.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad061.

Return to Travel in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Recovery Period and Implications for Imported Malaria: Reinforcing Prevention, Early Diagnosis, and Appropriate Treatment of Malaria

Jonathan S Schultz  1   2 , Kimberly E Mace  2 , Kathrine R Tan  2
Affiliations

Return to Travel in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Recovery Period and Implications for Imported Malaria: Reinforcing Prevention, Early Diagnosis, and Appropriate Treatment of Malaria

Jonathan S Schultz et al. Clin Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Return to international travel in the COVID-19 pandemic recovery period is expected to increase the number of patients with imported malaria in the United States (US). Malaria prevention in travelers and preparedness for timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment are key to minimize imported malaria morbidity and mortality. Intravenous artesunate (IVAS) is now available from commercial distributors in the US for the treatment of severe malaria. Hospitals and pharmacists should have a plan for malaria treatment, including stocking artemether-lumefantrine for uncomplicated malaria, and stocking or planning for rapid procurement of IVAS for the treatment of severe malaria.

Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum; artesunate; chemoprophylaxis; malaria; travel.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. All other authors report no potential conflicts of interest. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of malaria in the United States. *Treatment for special populations (children and pregnant women) can be found in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) treatment guidelines and treatment table. **If rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is performed, smear should also be performed with results available as soon as possible. A positive RDT can inform initial treatment decisions while a blood smear is in process. †If species is later identified as Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale, add primaquine if not G6PD deficient by quantitative testing. Tafenoquine can only be used if concurrently given with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. ‡Drug options for chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum may be used.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. International Trade Administration. International air passenger monitor. Available at: https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/apisi-92-monitor. Accessed 9 December 2022.
    1. Mace KE, Lucchi NW, Tan KR. Malaria surveillance —United States, 2018. MMWR Surveill Summ 2022; 71:1–35. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mace KE, Lucchi NW, Tan KR. Malaria surveillance —United States, 2017. MMWR Surveill Summ 2021; 70:1–35. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC yellow book 2020: health information for international travel. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malaria and travelers. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/index.html. Accessed 9 December 2022.