The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Feb 2007
ReviewCurrent malaria status and distribution of drug resistance in East and Southeast Asia with special focus to Thailand.
Malaria is the world's most important parasitic infection ranking among the major health and developmental challenges. Despite years of continual efforts, malaria is still one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality affecting third-world countries and still a threat to over 2 billion people, representing approximately 40% of the world's population in about 100 countries (Rollback Malaria 2005). During the "eradication era", half a century ago, malaria was eliminated or effectively suppressed in many parts of the world, particularly subtropical regions. ⋯ Pregnant women in Africa (especially primigravidae) are at high risk, and are the major adult risk group in the continent. An increasing number of imported cases of malaria have been reported particularly as a result of increasing worldwide travel to regions where there is ongoing risk of malaria transmission. Nowadays, cases of malaria acquired by international travelers from developed countries probably number 25,000 cases per year, with 10,000 of them reported annually and approximately 150 deaths per year.