The effect of flood and immigration on malaria situation, southeastern Iran

Malaria is known as a major infectious disease in tropical and subtropical regions. In 2008,strong floods in Pakistan and Afghanistan caused high immigration to southeast of Iran. Konarakdistrict located in Sistan and Baluchestan province was placed on the movement route of foreign immigrants from east neighbors to other part of Iran. This study was designed with the aim ofassessing influence of immigration due to floods on the status of malaria incidence and its foci classification in Konarak district, south east of Iran. In this descriptive-analytic study, the numbers of malaria patients in clear up and potential foci were analyzed by paired T-test during 2005 to 2009. After presence of immigrants in 2008, the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) increased significantly. The paired T-test showed a significant difference between the numbers of malaria cases from 2006 to 2008. Also some of development indicators didn't have clear change during the five years that can confirm the impact of flood on immigration and then increase in malaria cases. International Health Regulations (IHR) must be strengthening at ground crossings especiallyafter environmental disaster such as floods in the neighboring countries

Keywords:

Flood , Immigration , Malaria , Iran