Paediatric malaria in Greece in the era of global population mobility.

We reviewed the medical records of children admitted because of malaria to four tertiary-care hospitals in Greece during 1972-2002. A total of 21 cases were found, including 20 (95.2%) diagnosed during 2003-2012. Sixteen (76.2%) children had been in a malaria-endemic country within a median of 50 days before the onset of their symptoms. Main causes of travel were immigration to Greece and to visit friends and relatives (VFRs). A considerable epidemiological shift of paediatric malaria occurred in Greece during the past decade, which is attributed almost exclusively to the increase of immigrants and travellers VFRs.