Autochthonous Plasmodium vivax malaria in Greece, 2011

Abstract

Between May and September 2011, twenty cases of Plasmodium vivax infection were reported in Greek citizens without reported travel history. The vast majority of those cases were confined to a delimited agricultural area of Evrotas, Lakonia. Conditions favouring locally acquired transmission of malaria, including the presence of competent vectors and migrants from endemic countries exist in Greece, underscoring the need for the development of an integrated preparedness and response plan for malaria prevention.