Impact of the oil industry on malaria diagnosis and management in North-East Scotland (1992-99)

In order to assess the current pattern of malaria presenting to the Aberdeen Infection Unit a retrospective casenote review was undertaken of 110 patients admitted with that diagnosis between 1st January 1992 and 31st August 1999. Oil-related work was the reason for travel in 48 (43.6% of the UK residents, holiday in 35 (31.8%), backpacking in 8 (7.3% and other work in 5 (4.5%). Sixty-five patients (59.1%) had PL falciparum malaria (pure or mixed, 25 (22.7%) had PL vivax, 6 (5.4%) PL ovale and 3 (2.7%) PL malariae infection. No prophylaxis hud been taken by 66% of the 47 UK-based oil workers and by 36% of the other 48 UK residents tt ho had returned from Africa. There is a need for better education of oil workers and holiday makers travelling to areas endemic for malaria. We are now setting up a travel advisory service in our Unit to address the problem.