Frankfurt Airport Malaria Outbreak Kills 2 Workers After 6 Staff Infected by Plane-Borne Mosquito
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Aug 27
Frankfurt Airport Malaria Outbreak Kills 2 Workers After 6 Staff Infected by Plane-Borne Mosquito
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Aug 27
Summary
Two Frankfurt Airport employees have died in a malaria outbreak that infected six male staff members; the four survivors were hospitalized and are recovering.
Health officials believe an infected Anopheles mosquito arrived on an aircraft and transmitted Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, in a rare case of "airport malaria."
The first four cases were identified in mid-July after workers fell ill between July 4 and July 6, and investigators are testing blood samples to determine whether one or multiple mosquitoes were involved.
Mosquitoes trapped around the airport are undergoing genetic analysis in Antwerp to identify the species and likely geographic origin, though Frankfurt health officials say the insect responsible is probably already dead.
Authorities say the risk to the wider public is negligible, but Germany's disease agency warned malaria can be missed in patients without recent travel history, raising the danger of severe complications.