Using surveillance data obtained from 21,888 imported Plasmodium falciparum cases in France during 1996-2003, factors independently associated with severe malaria (832 cases; ≈3.8%) were older age, European origin, travel to eastern Africa, absence of chemoprophylaxis, initial visit to a general practitioner, time to diagnosis of 4 to 12 days, and diagnosis during the fall-winter season.

56 adult patients with PCR confirmed P. knowlesi malaria from Sabah are described. 22 (39%) of these had strictly defined severe malaria including respiratory distress, acute renal failure and shock.