title: Infectious diseases in immigrants from the perspective of a tropical medicine referral unit.
abstract: Immigrants from less developed countries to Europe are growing in number and could contribute to the emergence of some infectious diseases. To address this issue, we conducted a descriptive study of 988 immigrants, of whom 79.9% were sub-Saharan Africans and 72% were of undocumented origin. Fever, pruritus, eosinophilia, visceromegaly, and anemia were more frequent in Africans, while a cough was more common Latin Americans (P < 0.005). The most frequent diagnoses were previous hepatitis B (46.5%), latent tuberculosis (44.2%), filariasis (24.8%), infection with intestinal helminths (15.4%), malaria (15.1%), infection with intestinal protozoa (10%), hepatitis C (8.8%), other non-parasitic infections (7.8%), active hepatitis B (7.6%), sexually transmitted diseases (7.5%), active tuberculosis (5.8%), and infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (5.2%). Past and active hepatitis B and C, active tuberculosis, infection with HIV, malaria, and filariasis were more frequent in Africans (P < 0.005). Thirty-two other tropical diseases were also diagnosed.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine and Clinical Parasitology Unit, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. rlopezvelez.hrc@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Vélez
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huerga
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Turrientes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel; D014330:Tropical Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*