ABSTRACT

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes to humans when an infected mosquito bites a person. In this research, we examined the epidemiology of malaria using the data provided by the Malaria Control Unit of the Infectious Disease Divison of Antalya Health Directory, from the years 2001 to 2011.

The cases were evaluated according to age groups, gender, months and parasite species.

During this period, a total of 131.989 blood samples were evaluated and 66 malaria cases (0.0005%) were reported, and the highest rate of cases occurred during September. Seventy-four percent (49) of malaria cases were male, 26% (17 cases) were female. The species of malaria parasites were recorded in 86% of cases, of which Plasmodium vivax was the most common (57 cases), with P. falciparum accounting for 14% of cases (9 cases). All P. falciparum cases were found to be imported cases coming to Antalya from other countries. Most of the malaria cases (78.8%) were 15 years old and over.

We belived that our resarch contributes to the epidemiology of malaria and its prevention in Antalya region.

Keywords: Antalya, epidemiology, malaria, plasmodium