Joint ECDC/WHO mission related to local malaria transmission in Greece in 2011 Summary

Following outbreaks of Plasmodium vivax infection among people with no travel history, two support missions were carried out to assess the situation in Greece: one by ECDC and the other jointly conducted by ECDC, WHO and the Hellenic Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) who together visited all the affected districts. The assessment teams reviewed the risks of potential re-establishment of malaria transmission in Greece, and proposed prevention measures in the specific areas concerned and across the country.

To reduce possibilities for onward transmission, short-term recommendations include reliable diagnosis of malaria among all population groups and prompt and adequate treatment. In the longer term, the development of an integrated preparedness and response plan for malaria should be considered – the plan should cover epidemiological surveillance, clinical management, laboratory diagnosis, entomological monitoring and vector control.