Background In Morocco, since the neutralisation of the last outbreak of Plasmodium vivax in 2004, only imported malaria cases have been recorded, the majority from sub-Saharan Africa. At Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital in Rabat, patients are mostly military, often called to perform missions in malaria endemic areas.

Purpose To report the incidence, origins, symptoms and treatment of malaria at Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital.

Materials and Methods A prospective study performed from 1 January 2000 to 15 November 2009. All patients who had travelled to a country where malaria is endemic and diagnosed positive for Plasmodium spp in our hospital were included. The data collected concerned the epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of malaria.

Results 145 patients had a thick blood smear positive for malaria parasites. 84% were Moroccan, the sex ratio Male/Female was 19.71 and the age varied from 6 to 60 years with a median of 34 years. Countries at the origin of the infection were classified in zone 3 in 92% of cases. All malaria patients were symptomatic at admission, with often one or more of the following symptoms: fever (99%), chills (57%), sweats (41%), headaches and various pains (80%), vomiting (67%), nausea (44%), anaemia (44%) and thrombopenia (73%). We distinguished 19 cases of severe malaria and 3 cases of probable evolutive visceral malaria unconfirmed by serology.

Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for most cases, alone in 68% of cases and in combination with other Plasmodium species in 10% of cases. A diagnosis was made within three months of returning from the endemic malaria area for 97% of cases. The drugs most commonly used for treatment were mefloquine (25%), quinine (17%) and the combination of the two (50%).

Conclusions This study allowed us to better understand the profile of our malaria patients in order to improve their management in our hospital.

No conflict of interest.