An insight to better understanding cross border malaria in Saudi Arabia

Malaria Journal

Research

Hattan Gattan¹  Mohammed H. Alruhaili²  Hatoon A. Niyazi²  Shaymaa A. Abdalal²  Sarah A. Altwaim²  Steve Harakeh³  Mohammed Shammaky³  Joshua Yukich⁴  Katherine Andrinoplous⁴  Joseph Keating⁴  Brendan Carter⁴ 

[1] Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia;Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University and King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia;Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health, Jazan, Saudi Arabia;Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA;

关键词: Malaria;    Border malaria;    Saudi Arabia;    Human movements;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12936-023-04467-9

 received in 2022-03-20, accepted in 2023-01-23,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBorder malaria is a major obstacle for the malaria elimination in Saudi Arabia. Today, the southern border of Saudi Arabia is a region where malaria cases are resurging, and malaria control is dwindling mainly due to the humanitarian crisis and the conflict in Yemen. This study analyses the current border malaria epidemiology along the southern border of Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2018.MethodsAll reported cases maintained by the malaria elimination centres in Aledabi and Baish, Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, from 2015 to 2018 were analysed to examine the epidemiological changes over time. Pearson’s Chi-Square test of differences was utilized to assess differences between the characteristics of imported and local causes and between border cases. A logistic regression model was used to predict imported status was related to living along side of the border area.ResultsA total of 3210 malaria cases were reported in Baish and Aledabi malaria centres between 2015 and 2018, of which 170 were classified as local cases and 3040 were classified as imported cases. Reported malaria cases were mainly among males, within the imported cases 61.5% (1868/3039) were residents of the border areas.ConclusionsGiven the complexity of cross-border malaria, creating a malaria buffer zone that covers a certain margin from both sides of the border would allow for a joint force, cross-border malaria elimination programme. To initiate a malaria elimination activity and cases reported as belonging to this zone, rather than being pushed from one country to the other, would allow malaria elimination staff to work collaboratively with local borderland residents and other stakeholders to come up with innovative solutions to combat malaria and reach malaria-free borders.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 1