Atypical aetiology of a conjugal fever: autochthonous airport malaria between Paris and French Riviera: a case report

Abstract Endemic malaria has been eradicated from France, but some falciparum malaria cases have been described in patients who have never travelled outside the country. Ms. V. 21 year-old and Mr. M. 23 year-old living together in Paris were on holiday in Saint Raphaël (French Riviera). They present...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Malaria Journal
Main Authors: Fontenille Didier, Karch Saïd, Jeannin Charles, Rogier Christophe, Bogreau Hervé, Parzy Daniel, Pradines Bruno, Roger Pierre-Marie, Mottard Annie, Cua Eric, Delaunay Pascal, Pomares-Estran Christelle, Dejour-Salamanca Dominique, Legros Fabrice, Marty Pierre
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-202
https://doaj.org/article/a016a2739d2841f6a982859ec8497f64
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Summary:Abstract Endemic malaria has been eradicated from France, but some falciparum malaria cases have been described in patients who have never travelled outside the country. Ms. V. 21 year-old and Mr. M. 23 year-old living together in Paris were on holiday in Saint Raphaël (French Riviera). They presented with fever, vertigo and nausea. A blood smear made to control thrombocytopaenia revealed intra-erythrocytic forms of Plasmodium falciparum . The parasitaemia level was 0.15% for Ms. V and 3.2% for Mr. M. This couple had no history of blood transfusion or intravenous drug use. They had never travelled outside metropolitan France, but had recently travelled around France: to Saint Mard (close to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CdG) airport), to Barneville plage (in Normandy) and finally to Saint Raphaël. The most probable hypothesis is an infection transmitted in Saint Mard by an imported anopheline mosquito at CdG airport. The DNA analysis of parasites from Ms. V.'s and Mr. M.'s blood revealed identical genotypes. Because it is unlikely that two different anopheline mosquitoes would be infected by exactly the same clones, the two infections must have been caused by the infective bites of the same infected mosquito.