Journal of travel medicine
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Data on relative rates of acquisition of gastrointestinal infections by travelers are incomplete. The objective of this study was to analyze infections associated with oral ingestion of pathogens in international travelers in relation to place of exposure. ⋯ This analysis of morbidity associated with oral ingestion of pathogens abroad determines which parts of the world currently are high-risk destinations.
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Since the year 2000, in Italy, there has been a constant decrease in the number of cases of imported malaria in immigrants. Nevertheless, immigrants still account for about 70% of reported cases. To our knowledge, no data are yet available on imported malaria in children. This paper describes the main characteristics of malaria cases observed in recent years in the three main hospitals in Verona (roughly representing 10% of all cases reported in Italy in the period), with a special focus on the poorly known problem of imported malaria in children. ⋯ Our data confirm a significant difference both in clinical and in parasitological findings between semi-immune and nonimmune patients. We identified two populations of immigrant children: semi-immune (recent immigrants) and nonimmune (VRF). The latter is a high-risk group for severe malaria. Educational actions should be specially designed for immigrants traveling to VRF, focusing on the risk of severe malaria for both adults and children.