Four members of staff at Frankfurt airport have contracted malaria, according to reports. The Robert-Koch-Institut (RKI) confirmed on Friday that the infection is likely to have been transmitted by an Anopheles mosquito entering the country by plane. The case is unusual, as in Germany the majority of people affected by malaria are infected abroad.
Indeed, as the RKI has said, a so-called "airport malaria" is rare in Germany. This can often result in a late diagnosis for those affected, because the illness is so frequently associated with travel. Late diagnosis can also increase the risk of a difficult illness.
The RKI has appealed to GPs to consider malaria as a diagnosis, particularly in summer, if patients work in or near airports with intercontinental connections.
The last case of airport malaria was registered in Germany in 2023, the RKI said, again at Frankfurt airport. The current infections will be investigated by Frankfurt health authorities.
