Imported infectious diseases in mobile populations, Spain

Emerg Infect Dis. 2009 Nov;15(11):1745-52. doi: 10.3201/eid1511.090718.

Abstract

Migration has contributed to the emergence of certain infectious diseases. To determine which infectious diseases were most common among 2 mobile immigrant groups (sub-Saharan Africans and Latin Americans) in Spain, we analyzed health and demographic characteristics of 2,198 immigrants referred to the Tropical Medicine Unit of Ramon y Cajal Hospital over a 20-year period. The most frequent diagnoses were for latent tuberculosis (716 patients [32.6%]), filariasis (421 [19.2%]), hepatropic virus chronic infection (262 [19.2%]), intestinal parasites (242 [11.0%]), and malaria (212 [9.6%]). Health screening of immigrant populations is needed to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of potentially transmissible infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Africa South of the Sahara / ethnology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / diagnosis
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology*
  • Emigrants and Immigrants*
  • Emigration and Immigration
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Latin America / ethnology
  • Male
  • Mass Screening
  • Parasitic Diseases / epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / epidemiology
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis / epidemiology
  • Young Adult