[Children hospitalised with fever following a stay abroad].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to describe cases of illness in children admitted to hospital with a fever following a stay abroad.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective study based on journals dating from June 2003 to September 2003. Patients with a temperature of > or = 37.5 degrees C and of whom it was recorded that they had travelled abroad within the previous three months were included, as were demographic data, travel destination, discharge diagnosis and the results of microbiological and serological tests performed, if any.


RESULTS
A total of 48 children were included; 56% were immigrants. Fifteen (31%) suffered from diarrhea/gastroenteritis; eight of these cases were caused by Salmonella species. Ten (21%) had a serologically verified hepatitis A infection. There was one case of verified malaria. Nine patients (19%) were discharged with a diagnosis of unspecified viral infection, while nine had a commonly occurring infection with an unidentified focus.


CONCLUSIONS
Immigrant children constituted the majority of the hospitalised children. This group contracts not only more infections but also more serious ones than do children with Danish parents. As for infectious hepatitis, it is remarkable that despite the recommendations of the National Board of Health to vaccinate immigrant children against hepatitis A before a visit to their native country, this seems to be far from the actual practice.
Hansen
Simon Dyrbye
SD
H:S Hvidovre Hospital, Børneafdelingen. simondyrbye@hotmail.com
Nielsen
Vibeke Rosenfeldt
VR
D000293:Adolescent; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014195:Travel; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology