title: Molecular and epidemiological characteristics of blood-borne virus infections among recent immigrants in Spain.
abstract: The increased immigration from developing regions to Western countries raises public health concerns related to blood-borne viruses. The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infections among recent immigrants attending several Spanish diagnostic centers in years 2002 and 2003 was examined. Genetic characterization of viral subtypes and its relationship with distinct at-risk populations was carried out. A total of 1,303 immigrants were identified. They originated in Latin America (46.9%), Sub-Saharan Africa (23.7%), Eastern Europe (9.4%), and the Maghreb (9.2%). Seroprevalence rates were as follows: HIV-1 4.2%, HBV 4.1%, HCV 2.9%, and HTLV-1 0.8%. All patients with HIV-1 non-B subtypes, HBV genotypes E and A3, and HCV genotype 4 were sub-Saharan Africans, and had been infected mainly through heterosexual contacts. In contrast, Latin American homo/bisexual men carried HIV-1 subtype B most likely acquired after their arrival to Spain. In conclusion, while Sub-Saharan Africans carry wide diverse genetic variants of blood-borne viruses, the absence of high-risk practices in most cases could limit the spread of these variants. In contrast, Latin Americans with high-risk sexual practices may be a particularly vulnerable collective to acquire blood-borne viruses in the receptor country.
authors.affiliation: Service of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Del Romero
authors.forename: Berta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodés
authors.forename: Africa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holguín
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Campello
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez-Hernando
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guelar
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheldon
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Mendoza
authors.forename: Ainhoa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simón
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soriano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D002648:Child; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral