MALARIA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

File: 950925_00111pgv_00p.txt
Page: 00p
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MALARIA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

Filename:00111pgv.00p

SUBJECT:  MALARIA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

REFERENCE:         [ (b)(2) ]

TO:     [ (b)(6) ]

FROM:                     [ (b)(6) ]


TEXT: MALARIA TRANSMISSION ON THE ARABIAN PENINSULA IS RESTRICTED
TO YEMEN,  OMAN,  AND WESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN SAUDI ARABIA.
PLASMODIUM  FALCIPARUM  PREDOMINATES,  BUT  P.  VIVAX  OCCURS.
TRANSMISSION GENERALLY IS MOST INTENSE IN COASTAL OR IRRIGATED
AGRICULTURAL AREAS, BUT OCCURS UP TO ELEVATIONS OF 2,000 METERS IN
ENDEMIC AREAS. IN ENDEMIC AREAS, TRANSMISSION OCCURS YEAR-ROUND,
WITH A SEASONAL PEAK FROM OCTOBER THROUGH APRIL, CHLOROQUINE-
RESISTANT FALCIPARUM MALARIA RECENTLY HAS BEEN  CONFIRMED IN OMAN
AND YEMEN, AND IS SUSPECTED IN SOUTHWESTERN SAUDI ARABIA.

IN SAUDI ARABIA, THE MOST INTENSE TRANSMISSION OCCURS IN THE 
TIHAMA
COASTAL REGION AND THE ASIR HIGHLANDS IN THE SOUTHWEST (JIZAN,
ASIR, AND AL BAHAH PROVINCES). RISK IN THE WESTERN PROVINCES
(MAKKAH AND AL MADINAH) IS LIMITED TO RURAL VALLEY FOCI IN THE
HIJAZ MOUNTAINS. URBAN AREAS IN THE WESTERN PROVINCES ARE RISK
FREE, ALTHOUGH VECTOR SPECIES MAY BE PRESENT.

IN OMAN, THE MOST INTENSE TRANSMISSION OCCURS IN NORTH-CENTRAL
MOUNTAIN VILLAGE AREAS. TRANSMISSION ALSO OCCURS ALONG THE BATINAH
COASTAL PLAIN NORTH OF THE SEEB INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TO THE
NORTHERN BORDER WITH THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, AND IN THE SOUTHERN
DHOFAR REGION. THE CAPITAL AREA AROUND MUSCAT AND THUMRAIT ARE
RISK-FREE, ALTHOUGH MOSQUITO VECTORS ARE PRESENT AT SOME 
LOCATIONS.

IN YEMEN, MALARIA TRANSMISSION OCCURS THROUGHOUT MOST REGIONS.
SANAA, ADEN, THE HIGH MOUNTAINS (ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1,500 METERS),
AND THE EASTERN DESERT AREAS ARE RISK-FREE.