Malaria Transmission Dynamics in Non-Endemic Regions
Summary
Malaria transmission in regions where the disease is not endemic arises chiefly through the intersection of imported infections, local vector populations and environmental conditions that permit sporadic parasite development. Although indigenous transmission was eliminated from many countries during the twentieth century, increasing global mobility and climate change have combined to create low‐level receptivity in areas with lingering Anopheles populations. Surveillance frameworks now integrate case detection among travellers with entomological mapping and risk modelling to identify geographic and temporal hotspots. Recent autochthonous events, airport malaria episodes and rising imported caseloads underscore the complex interplay between human movement, vector biology and public health preparedness. A multidisciplinary approach—encompassing field entomology, geospatial analysis and clinical vigilance—is essential to pre‐empt re‐establishment of sustained transmission.
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Malaria Transmission Dynamics in Non-Endemic Regions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in malaria transmission dynamics in non-endemic regions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Autochthonous transmission: Local malaria infections occurring without recent travel to endemic areas, indicating onward transmission by native vectors.
Imported case: A malaria infection acquired abroad in an endemic region and diagnosed upon return to a non‐endemic country.
Vector competence: The intrinsic ability of a mosquito species to acquire, support development of, and transmit malaria parasites to humans.
Receptivity: The degree to which environmental and ecological factors in a region enable malaria transmission.
Vectorial capacity: A quantitative measure of transmission potential, reflecting vector density, biting frequency and parasite development rate within the mosquito.
References
- Notes from the Field: Increases in Imported Malaria Cases — Three Southern U.S. Border Jurisdictions, 2023. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2024).
- Modelling the spatial risk of malaria through probability distribution of Anopheles maculipennis s.l. and imported cases. Emerging Microbes & Infections (2024).
- Rising temperature and its impact on receptivity to malaria transmission in Europe: A systematic review. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease (2020).
- Airport Malaria in Non-Endemic Areas: New Insights into Mosquito Vectors, Case Management and Major Challenges. Microorganisms (2021).
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