title: Imported schistosomiasis in Europe: sentinel surveillance data from TropNetEurop.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schistosomiasis is a major parasitic disease, increasingly imported into temperate climates by immigrants from and travelers to endemic areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  To generate valid data on imported infectious diseases to Europe and to recognize trends over time, the European Network on Imported Infectious Diseases Surveillance (TropNetEurop) was founded in 1999. Three hundred and thirty-three reports of schistosomiasis were analyzed for epidemiologic and clinical features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male patients accounted for 64% of all cases. The average age of all patients was 29.5 years. The majority of patients were of European origin (53%). Europeans traveled predominantly for tourism (52%). Main reasons for travel for people from endemic areas were immigration and refuge (51%) and visits to relatives and friends (28%). The majority of infections were acquired in Africa; 92 infections were clearly attributable to Schistosoma haematobium, 130 to Schistosoma mansoni, and 4 to Schistosoma intercalatum. Praziquantel was the only treatment used. No deaths were recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TropNetEurop sentinel provides valuable epidemiologic and clinical data on imported schistosomiasis to Europe.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grobusch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mühlberger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jelinek
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bisoffi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corachán
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matteelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fry
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hatz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gjørup
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knobloch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puente
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bronner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapaun
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clerinx
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Myrvang
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hellgren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014195:Travel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel