Italy

A new seminested polymerase chain reaction (sn-PCR)–based protocol was developed and used to detect and identify Plasmodium species in 1226 whole-blood samples from patients (872 Italians and 354 foreigners) with at least 1 symptom compatible with clinical malaria.

In our study more than two thirds of imported malaria cases were due to P falciparum with an excess of cases diagnosed in immigrants starting from the year 2000.

Plasmodium vivax is still the more prevalent human Plasmodium outside Africa and despite this fact, there is still a deep lack of knowledge on its biology.

Our findings provide the first modern laboratory evidence of the presence of P. falciparum ancient proteins in the skeletal remains of four members of the Medici family. We confirm the clinical diagnosis of the court physicians, using modern methods.

We report a series of eight imported severe falciparum malaria cases treated with IVA combined with intravenous quinine (IVQ). This combined therapy was found to be efficacious, safe, and well-tolerated.

The different factors which may influence the risk of contracting malaria for travelers visiting endemic countries and the strategy to reduce completely the number of fatal cases were considered and discussed.