Table 4 Characteristics of travellers with severe malaria reported to GeoSentinel, January 2003–June 2016 (n = 444)

Median age, years (range)

42 (1–88)

Male, n (%)

307 (69)

Travellers without pre-travel visit, n (%) (n = 429)

246 (57)

Region of exposure, n (%)

 Sub-Saharan Africa

420 (95)

 Southeast Asia

10 (2)

 South Central Asia

4 (1)

 Caribbean

3 (1)

 North Africa

2 (<1)

 Oceania

2 (<1)

 Central America

2 (<1)

 South America

1 (<1)

Reason for travel, n (%)

 VFR

187 (42)

 Business

133 (30)

 Tourism

80 (18)

 Missionary^a

33 (7)

 Military

7 (2)

 Student

3 (1)

 Planned medical care

1 (<1)

Plasmodium species, n (%) (n = 124)

 P. falciparum

120 (97)

 P. vivax

2 (2)

 P. ovale

0 (0)

 P. malariae

2 (2)

Median trip duration, days (IQR)

31 (18–66)

Median days between return and presenting to a site (IQR)

11 (5–16)

Hospitalized, n (%)

402 (91)

Cerebral malaria (n)

14

Deaths (n)

12