Locally acquired malaria: a retrospective analysis of long-term surveillance data, European France, 1995 to 2022

Abstract

Background: In European France, the bulk of malaria cases are travel-related, and only locally acquired cases are notifiable to assess any risk of re-emergence. Aims: We aimed to contribute to assessing the health impact of locally acquired malaria and the potential of malaria re-emergence in European France by documenting modes of transmission of locally acquired malaria, the Plasmodium species involved and their incidence trends. Methods: We retrospectively analysed surveillance and case investigation data on locally acquired malaria from 1995 to 2022. We classified cases by most likely mode of transmission using a classification derived from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. A descriptive analysis was conducted to identify spatial and temporal patterns of cases. Results: From 1995 to 2022, European France reported 117 locally acquired malaria cases, mostly due to Plasmodium falciparum (88%) and reported in île-de-France (54%), Paris Region. Cases were classified as Odyssean malaria (n = 51), induced malaria (n = 36), cryptic malaria (n = 27) and introduced malaria (n = 3). Among the 117 patients, 102 (93%) were hospitalised, 24 (22%) had severe malaria and seven (7%) died. Conclusion: Locally acquired malaria remains infrequent in European France, with four reported cases per year since 1995. However, with the recent increasing trend in Odyssean malaria and climate change, the risk of re-emergence in nonendemic countries should be monitored, particularly in areas with autochthonous competent vectors. The vital risk of delayed diagnosis should make physicians consider locally acquired malaria in all patients with unexplained fever, especially when thrombocytopenia is present, even without travel history.