Area: 2,376,400 km²
Population: 28,400,000 inhabitants (1996), 31,000,000 estimated for 2000
Capital:  Algiers (2,500,000 inhabitants)
Other important towns: Oran, Annaba, Constantine, Tlemcen, Béchar, Tindouf, Elgolea, Timimoun, Tamanrasset, Insalah. 

The latest available statistics clearly indicate that with less than 250 cases a year, malaria is today no longer a public health problem (see table) (10) compared with the period from 1952 – 1961 when there were more than 50,000 cases a year.

Algeria’s anopheles were the subject of much study at the end of the sixties (4 and again in 1983 before the opening of the Trans-Sahara route.(6).  

The species described at the time were:     

Anopheles dthali (Iherir, Béchar,in the south),

Anopheles hispaniola (everywhere in Algeria) ,

Anopheles labranchiae (in the north),

Anopheles multicolor  (everywhere in Algeria) ,

Anopheles rhodesiensis rupicolus (Iherir and Amais),

Anopheles rufipes broussesi (Iherir and Djanet),

Anopheles sergentii (everywhere in Algeria) ,

Anopheles algeriensis (Batna, in the north east).

The main malaria vectors in Algeria are Anopheles dthali, An. multicolor, An. sergentii et An. labranchiae (6).   

Not documented.

A case of imported Plasmodium falciparum malaria was signalled as being Chloroquine-resistant. (8). 

A malaria eradication program (MEP) has been established by the INSP.
Drs. ATEK and KABRANE are employed on a full time basis and the program consists of 12 staff members (3 doctors, 3 technicians, 1 engineer, 2 administrators, and 3 agents)
The program’s objectives are to prevent the re-transmission of malaria and to help warn about the risks of re-introduction of the disease.

They have developed a 5 point strategy for this:

1.        Reinforced surveillance system 

Notification of cases, 

Analysis of epidemiological facts. 

Analysis of results obtained from haematological screening. 

Classification of malaria zones.

Haematological and sero-epidemiological investigations 

Entomological investigations 

2.        Organisation of anti-malaria actions 

·   Treatment for the carriers of the parasite. 

·   Anti-larvae and anti- imago insect actions   

3.        Staff training and reorientation

4.        Health Education 

Awareness campaign for medical and paramedical staff. 

Recommendations and advice for travellers going to malaria infected regions. 

5.        Stimulation of research activities: 

Updating the anopheles map, 

Study of how likely the Algerian anopheles risk infection by strains of “tropical” plasmodial species, 

Carrying out sero-epidemiological investigations 

Creation of a culture for the parasite so as to obtain anti-genes. 

Algeria should be classified in chloroquine-resistance group 1:

· no Plasmodium falciparum

· If there is Plasmodium falciparum , it is chemosensitive to usual antimalarial drugs

· Possible presence of Plasmodium vivax 

Travelers should be advised to take a chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine. In practice however, the risk of contracting the disease is so limited it is considered non-existant and so no chemoprophylaxis is needed.

For those wishing to visit the Iherir Oasis, it is advised to take only vector control measures such as mosquito repellent skin cream

(Only the first author is mentioned)

1.  SERGENT E., SERGENT E., CATANEI A., SENEVET G. - Etudes épidémiologiques et prophylactiques du paludisme en 1925-1926. Arch. Inst. Pasteur Algérie 1927 ; 5 : 131-160.

2. COUDERT J. - Perspectives nouvelles sur l'immunologie paludéenne (à propos de 565 examens effectués par la technique des anticorps fluorescents). Bull. Soc. Path.      Exot. 1966 ; 59 : 558-570.

3. LEFEVRE-WITIER P.- Sur le paludisme au Tassili n'Ajjer (Sahara central), Algérie. Bull. Soc. Path.   Exot. 1968 ; 61 : 596-605.

4. HOLSTEIN M. - Contribution à la connaissance des anophèles du Sahara. Arch. Inst. Pasteur Alger 1970 ; 48 : 7-15.

5. SLONOV M.N. - Study of malaria in the Algerian People's Democratic Republic. Med. Parazitol. (Moscou) 1971 ; 40 : 648-653.

6. RAMSDALE C.D. - Anophelism in the Algerian Sahara and some implications of the construction of a trans-Saharan highway. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1983 ; 86 : 51-58.

7. ACHARD B. - Seize mois d'expérience de médecine de coopérant à Zéboudja, en Algérie. 1979-1981. Thèse médecine, Marseille 1983, 70 p.

8a. BENZERROUG E.H. - La surveillance du paludisme au Sahara algérien. Bull. Soc. Path.    Exot. 1985 ; 78 : 859-867.

8b. BENZERROUG E.H. - Paludisme importé de Tanzanie en Algérie. A propos d'un cas résistant à la chloroquine. Ann. Soc. belge Med. trop. 1985 ; 65 : 85-89.

8c. BENZERROUG E.H. - Séroépidémiologie du paludisme au niveau d'un foyer résiduel en Algérie : commune de Khemis El Kechna. Rev. Epidemiol. Sante Publ. 1985 ; 33 : 276-282.

8d. BENZERROUG E.H. - The malaria eradication programme in Algeria : present situation. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1990 ; 84 : 347.

8e. BENZERROUG E.H. - Étude séro-épidémiologique du paludisme au Sahara algérien. Bull. OMS 1991 ; 69 : 73-80.

9. ANONYME - Situation épidémiologique en 1990, Algérie. R.E.H. 1992 ; 67 : 73-80.

10. KABRANE - Principales caractéristiques épidémiologiques du paludisme d'importation en Algérie, 1988-1993. Relevé Épidémiologique Mensuel (INSP Alger) 1994 ; n°9 : 73-80.

11. MESBAH S. - Algérie : les résultats encourageants de la médecine préventive. Med. Trop. 1999 ; 59 : 23-28.