Malaria Case Confirmed in Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) today announced it identified a case of locally acquired malaria in a resident who resides in Saline County and has no international travel history. 

ADH stated in a press release on October 4, 2023, that this is the only known locally acquired case of malaria in Arkansas and the 11th in the United States in 2023

Earlier in 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed seven locally acquired malaria infections in Florida, one in Texas, and one in Maryland.

On September 7, 2023, the Pan American Health Organization estimated that approximately 41 million people are living in areas where the risk of infection by malaria is considered moderate to high in 21 Latin American countries.

The CDC has issued various outbreak alerts for malaria-endemic countries, including Costa Rica. 

According to the CDC, malaria is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by four species of protozoan parasites of the genus  Plasmodium. These disease-carrying mosquitoes are found throughout the Americas.

There are two malaria vaccines in use in Africa in 2023. However, they are not available in the U.S.