In this study, the epidemiological characteristics of malaria cases in Edirne 
province were investigated. Between the years of 1994-2002, a total of 317,087 
blood samples were collected from soldiers in the province with selective active 
surveillance and from the resident population with active or passive 
surveillance methods, by the medical staff of Malaria Control Department and 
Health Centers, to search the presence of Plasmodium. In 281 of them Plasmodium 
spp. were detected, and the characteristics of malaria cases were investigated. 
Of the cases, 238 (84.7%) were detected in the first three years and mostly in 
September. While the indigenous cases were detected in the districts where rice 
planted intensely, the imported cases were detected in the districts heavily 
populated by military staff. Of the imported cases, 62% originated from 
Diyarbakir, Batman and Sanliurfa provinces (Southeast part of Turkey). P. vivax 
was detected as the causative agent in all blood samples except one P. ovale. 
This latter case has been the only one in Turkey so far and he was a student 
from Afghanistan. Attaching importance to fight off mosquitoes in intensely rice 
planted districts and strictly surveying the military staff, particularly from 
the region of Southern-East Anatolia, have led to successful control of the 
malaria cases in Edirne region.