German health authorities are investigating a rare cluster of airport-associated malaria linked to Frankfurt International Airport. Four airport workers, including subcontractors, developed Plasmodium falciparum malaria in early July despite having no recent travel history to malaria-endemic regions. The infections are believed to have resulted from bites by an infected Anopheles mosquito inadvertently transported on an international aircraft. All cases required hospitalization, with at least one admitted to intensive care.
Although such events are uncommon, similar clusters have previously been reported at Frankfurt Airport. ECDC considers the overall risk to airport workers and the public to be very low but highlights the importance of considering malaria in patients with unexplained fever, even without a travel history.
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