baggage malaria
n. Malaria contracted from the bite of a mosquito inadvertently transported from a malarial region in a person's baggage.
Examples
2011
Cryptic malaria occurs very infrequently. Since 2002, only seven cases of malaria, caused by P. falciparum, have been identified that had no explanatory travel history. On investigation, these were classified as probable airport malaria (one), possible baggage malaria (two), nosocomial transmission (one known and one probable) , transfusion (one) and one has remained unexplained.
—“Cryptic malaria,” Health Protection Agency, February 03, 2011
2009
Baggage malaria: The possibility of carrying infective mosquitoes within pieces of baggage to non-endemic areas or to areas far from international airports has been suspected in a number of previous cases. … In this scenario, the mosquito was carried in the baggage from Ivory Coast to Berlin, infected the index case before or during travel or at home in Berlin and then — after being transported to the hospital — infected the secondary patient.
—Thomas Zolleret al., “Malaria transmission in non-endemic areas,” Malaria Journal, April 20, 2009
1993 (earliest)
This case suggests that infected mosquitoes can reach areas far distant from international airports in baggage packed in regions with a high density of infected Anopheles.
—F Castelli, et al., “'Baggage malaria' in Italy: cryptic malaria explained?,” Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, July 01, 1993
Notes
We propose, therefore, to accommodate all transport related forms of malaria acquired in non-endemic areas through the bites of adventurous imported mosquitoes, in a group named Odyssean malaria (table). Like the Greek hero of old, mosquitoes undertake distant and dangerous journeys, sometimes in or on unlikely vehicles. At their final destination they may transmit malaria or other infections to their unwitting human victims. As additional means of transport that convey malaria-infected mosquitoes are identified and introduced into published work, they could be added to the Odyssean malaria category.
—John A. Frean & Margaretha Isaacson, “African malaria vectors in European aircraft,” The Lancet, January 20, 2001