Unpleasant Souvenir: Imported Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Türkiye/Nahos Hatira: Türkiye 'de Yurtdisi Kaynakli Plasmodium falciparum Sitmasi

Objective: Each year, approximately 125 million people visit malaria-endemic countries. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of imported Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections in Türkiye. Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with P. falciparum malaria between 1996 and 2022. A retrospective evaluation was conducted on whole blood samples and/or blood smears, as well as detailed medical histories, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings. A total of 131 imported cases of P. falciparum were included in the study. Results: Among the patients, 121 were male. Of these, 101 had traveled to Africa, while 30 had visited Asia. Among the patients, 109 were returned travelers, and 22 were refugees/migrants. Early trophozoites were observed in all patients, while gametocytes were detected in 30 patients. Cerebral malaria developed in 15 patients, resulting in the death of two individuals. Additionally, 10 patients received preventive chemoprophylaxis. Conclusion: Turkey is situated on migration routes that connect two continents to Europe, where more than 95% of the global malaria burden exists. The importation of malaria through returned travelers poses a risk of malaria reintroduction in our country, given the presence of suitable vectors, climate conditions, and environmental factors. Importantly, 30 patients (22.9%) exhibited gametocyte forms of P. falciparum, which have the potential to infect Anopheles species, thus establishing a basis for local malaria transmission. Keywords: Travel medicine, fever, Türkiye, migration, malaria Amaç: Her yil yaklasik 125 milyon kisi sitmanin endemik oldugu ülkeleri ziyaret etmektedir. Bu çalismada Türkiye'ye disaridan gelen Plasmodium falciparum sitma enfeksiyonlarinin klinik özelliklerinin arastirilmasi amaçlanmistir. Yöntemler: Çalismaya 1996-2022 yillari arasinda P. falciparum sitmasi tanisi konan hastalar dahil edildi. Tam kan örnekleri ve/veya kan yaymalari, ayrintili tibbi öyküler, klinik belirtiler ve laboratuvar bulgulari retrospektif olarak degerlendirildi. Çalismaya toplam 131 disaridan gelen P. falciparum olgusu dahil edildi. Bulgular: Hastalarin 121'i erkekti. Bunlardan 101'i Afrika'yi, 30'u Asya'yi ziyaret etmisti. Hastalar arasinda 109'u turist/ziyaretçi ve 22'si mülteci/göçmendi. Tüm hastalarda erken dönem trofozoitler gözlenirken, 30 hastada gametositler tespit edildi. On bes hastada serebral sitma gelisti ve iki kisinin ölümüyle sonuçlandi. Ayr