Fifty years after the eradication of Malaria in Italy. The long pathway toward this great goal and the current health risks of imported malaria

Fifty years ago, Italy was declared a malaria-free country by the World Health Organization (WHO). In remembering this important anniversary, the authors of this paper describe the long journey that led to this goal. In the century following the unification of Italy, malaria was one of the main public health problems. At the end of the 19th century, malaria cases amounted to 2 million, with 15,000–20,000 deaths per year. This manuscript examines the state of public and social health in Italy from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, with particular regard to the government’s measures for the prevention, prophylaxis and treatment of malaria. The authors describe the main findings of Italian malariologists during the period under review, from the identification of Plasmodium as a malaria pathogen and the recognition of the Anopheles mosquito as its vector. They also make some considerations regarding the current situation and the importation of malaria by travelers and migrants from countries where the disease is still endemic.