LSHTM expert outlines how airport malaria occurs, why it's distinct from imported malaria, and the measures needed to prevent future outbreaks
On Wednesday 26 August 2026, it was reported that two Frankfurt Airport workers died of malaria after a rare outbreak led to six employees contracting the serious infection spread by mosquitoes.
The outbreak, which was first detected in July, is currently being investigated by the Frankfurt Public Health Department.
Early reports indicate that the mosquitoes may have arrived at Germany's busiest airport on a plane. Traps have been installed at the airport to capture any remaining mosquitoes, so that researchers can study them to determine their species and where they came from.
Jo Lines, Professor of Malaria Control and Vector Biology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said: "This rare phenomenon, as seen in Frankfurt, is known as airport malaria. It's important to distinguish the differences between airport malaria from imported malaria - of which about 1,000 to 2,000 cases are reported every year in the UK alone. Most of these occur in UK residents returning from visits to friends and relatives abroad, typically in tropical countries.
"In the recent German outbreak, there were six cases in total - raising the question of whether there was more than one infected mosquito. This is unusual but it is not the first European outbreak with six cases: it has happened before, in Paris and Brussels. Across the continent, including the UK, there have been over 140 cases reported to date.
"In order to prevent airport malaria, insecticide sprays are routinely deployed by cabin staff at the beginning of many flights to Europe from tropical and malaria-endemic countries. These sprays are very safe, with the procedure recommended in guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This means that when we see sporadic cases of airport malaria, it indicates that those preventative measures may not have been fully effective.
"Malaria is not often seen by GPs and frontline clinicians in Europe; usually, patients are also unlikely to present with any very specific or obvious symptoms. Therefore, checking for a recent history of travel to or from a malaria-endemic country is a critical step in the diagnosis of these cases. However, this can sometimes pose a problem for the diagnosis of airport malaria - where there is no history of travel.
"However, in this case, the outbreak seems to have been contained, with the Robert Koch Institute now awaiting the results of laboratory tests to determine the origins. Whilst risk to human health from mosquitoes in the UK and airports is currently very low and the malaria is not transmissible from person to person, it's important to be aware of how to protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases. If you are travelling to tropical destinations where malaria is present, you should seek medical advice around vaccinations and anti-malarial medication and take appropriate precautions such as using insect repellent (especially those containing DEET)."
This is a rapid reaction to a breaking news story.
