Infectious Diseases in Immigrant Population Related to the Time of Residence in Spain (original) (raw)
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the data on the main imported infectious diseases and public health issues arising from the risk of transmission of tropical and common diseases in the immigrant population. During the period of study, 2,426 immigrants were attended in the Tropical Medicine Unit of the Hospital of Poniente. For each patient, a complete screening for common and tropical diseases was performed. The prevalence and main features of intestinal and urinary parasites, microfilarias, Chagas disease, malaria, hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses, extrapulmonary tuberculosis and syphilis was investigated taking into account the length of stay in Spain. Sub-Saharan Africa patients who had lived for <3 years in Spain had a high significantly number of infections produced by hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma mansoni, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Plasmodium spp. In patients who had lived for more than 3 years, there were significantly high rates of HBV infections, although HBV rates in sub-Saharan African patients are high even if the patients have been in Spain for <3 years. However, patients with large stays in Spain had also an important number of parasitological diseases. The main objective of the diagnosis is to avoid important public health problems and further complications in patients. It is advisable to carry out a screening of the main transmissible infections in all immigrant population regardless of the time outside their country. This screening should be individualized according to the geographical area of origin.
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Authors and Affiliations
- Tropical Medicine Unit, Hospital de Poniente, Ctra de Almerimar s/n, 04700, El Ejido, Almería, Spain
Fernando Cobo, Joaquín Salas-Coronas, Mª Teresa Cabezas-Fernández, José Vázquez-Villegas, Mª Isabel Cabeza-Barrera & Manuel J. Soriano-Pérez
Authors
- Fernando Cobo
- Joaquín Salas-Coronas
- Mª Teresa Cabezas-Fernández
- José Vázquez-Villegas
- Mª Isabel Cabeza-Barrera
- Manuel J. Soriano-Pérez
Corresponding author
Correspondence toFernando Cobo.
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Cobo, F., Salas-Coronas, J., Cabezas-Fernández, M.T. et al. Infectious Diseases in Immigrant Population Related to the Time of Residence in Spain.J Immigrant Minority Health 18, 8–15 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0141-5
- Published: 04 December 2014
- Issue date: February 2016
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0141-5