Two German Airport Workers Die of Malaria After Infected Mosquitoes Arrived On Plane

Two workers at Frankfurt Airport in Germany have died after contracting malaria in a rare outbreak believed to have been caused by infected mosquitoes arriving on a plane. Six male airport workers have been diagnosed with malaria tropica, the most severe form of the disease, despite none of them having recently travelled to a malaria-endemic region, BBC reported. 

The Frankfurt city health authority said the first death occurred in early July, although malaria was confirmed only after the worker died. A second infected worker died in August. The remaining four patients are recovering after receiving treatment.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's federal public health agency, initially reported four cases in mid-July. It said the infections were unusual because malaria in Germany is generally linked to people returning from countries where the disease is widespread, as per AFP. 

Health officials suspect the mosquitoes responsible may have entered Germany aboard an aircraft and subsequently bitten workers at the airport. Such cases are known as airport malaria and are extremely rare in Germany.

The RKI said the absence of a travel history can make the disease harder to identify, potentially delaying treatment and increasing the risk of severe illness. Germany has not recorded locally acquired malaria on a regular basis since the 1950s.

"The lack of a travel history can lead to a delayed diagnosis. A delayed diagnosis increases the risk of a severe course of the diseases," the institute said in its epidemiological bulletin.

Mosquito traps have now been placed around Frankfurt Airport, which handled about 63.2 million passengers last year. Airport staff have also been informed about the outbreak and advised to watch for possible symptoms. 

"We have provided comprehensive information to all employees and encourage them to consult a doctor if they experience any symptoms," the Fraport spokesperson told the BBC.

Mosquitoes caught in the traps will be sent to the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, for genetic testing. Scientists hope the analysis will help determine the species and possible origin of the mosquitoes and establish whether the infections could have been caused by a single mosquito or multiple insects.

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), malaria is caused by parasites transmitted solely through mosquito bites and cannot be passed directly between humans. Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, fatigue and nausea, and severe cases can become life-threatening. Although malaria is treatable, early diagnosis is important, particularly in cases of malaria tropica, which can progress rapidly