Main objective:

To characterize malaria in the San Juan de Dios Hospital (HSJD) and its Children's Dispensary (DI) in Quito between 1916-1925, in the historical context of the eradication of malaria and the possibilities of its return to Quito.

Methodology:

A descriptive and retrospective medical historiographic study of the clinical records of the HSJD and DI (1916-1925) of the Eduardo Estrella National Museum of Medicine and information from the Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador (MSP).

Main results:

In 10,025 patients seen, 209 had malaria, mostly from valleys near Quito with more than 2,000 meters of altitude.

Main conclusion:

The morbidity of malaria in Quito and its valleys depended directly on the socio-economic-sanitary conditions of the population and the climatic conditions of the environment. The current situation recreates similar factors, with reports suggesting a possible return of autochthonous malaria to Quito.