Malaria reports in U.S. call for mindfulness when traveling, experts say

Harry Loomis, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

Jun. 29—A disease primarily found in Africa has made its way to the U.S., and health officials are advising residents to be aware of symptoms when traveling to areas of high risk.

This week, five people — four in Florida and one in Texas — have contracted malaria, a disease usually caused by the bite of an infected female anopheline mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While it is unclear how the disease made it to the United States, the five cases are not believed to be connected. However, all four cases in Florida were in Sarasota County.

While the risk of malaria in Missouri is low due to the climate, it's important to be aware of potential symptoms if traveling to or from a place with higher risk.

St. Joseph Health Department clinic supervisor Holly Hazzard said that symptoms include fever and nausea. The CDC describes common symptoms as fever- and flu-like, but they can become more severe without treatment.

Hazzard said providing as many details as possible to doctors is important if you seek medical treatment.

"Even if you went to Florida for the weekend ... just share that with them," Hazzard said. "You can never share too much information. It's better to have that information shared than not."

Malaria should be taken very seriously if found, experts say, as it can be passed through blood and organ transfusions, as well as from a pregnant woman to her fetus.

"Those are rare cases but (the) potential is there now that malaria exists in the U.S.," Hazzard said. "The best way to treat malaria is an I.V. drug called artesunate. The CDC is working on making sure that is readily available."

The reason that Florida and Texas have seen cases and Missouri likely will not see cases aside from those of a person who has traveled is that the disease is more common in areas where mosquitos are prevalent year-round.

While malaria is rare in the United States, there are over 240 million cases found yearly, with 95% coming from Africa, according to the CDC. Historically, the majority of cases that have been found in the United States are travelers from countries that see a higher rate of cases.

"Texas and Florida are very tourist-focused places," Hazzard said. "They get a lot of travelers there."

As for prevention of mosquito bites, bug spray is still recommended to be worn outside, along with avoiding any standing water, as mosquitos lay eggs near water.