Malaria Confirmed in Florida

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) in Sarasota and Manatee Counties in Florida recently responded to one confirmed malaria case among an individual who spent extensive time outdoors.

The malaria patient was promptly treated at a hospital and has recovered.

This case has been identified as the P. vivax malaria species, which is not as fatal as other parasite species.

Only infected Anopheles mosquitos can transmit malaria to humans. This case confirms that locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria cases can occur in the U.S.

Malaria symptoms usually appear within 7 to 30 days but can take up to one year to develop. Symptoms may include high fevers, chills, and flu-like illness.

Effective treatment is readily available through hospitals and other healthcare providers.

Florida's DOH reported aerial and ground mosquito spraying on Florida's west coast to mitigate the risk of further transmission.

Florida has about one million residents.

The DOH says whether you're staying at home or traveling abroad, preventing mosquito bites is the best way to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease.

For example, Miami-Dade County in southeast Florida has been under a mosquito-borne illness alert since April 18, 2023,  following two local cases of dengue infection in 2023.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,000 malaria cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. In 2003 there were 8 cases of locally acquired P. vivax malaria identified in Palm Beach County, FL.

The vast majority of malaria cases are in travelers returning from countries where malaria transmission occurs, many from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

To prevent malaria, vaccines are being deployed in 2023.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in April 2023 that nearly 1.5 million children at high risk of illness and death from malaria in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi received their first dose of the first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix™ (RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S)).

The R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine, co-produced by scientists at the University of Oxford and Novavax AB, is also offered in Africa.

The WHO estimates that malaria vaccines could save the lives of tens of thousands of children each year.

As of June 12, 2023, malaria vaccines are not available in the U.S.