title: Relevance of eosinophilia and hyper-IgE in immigrant children.
abstract: Immigrants from undeveloped countries are a growing problem in Europe. Spain has become a frequent destination for immigrants (20% of whom are children) because of its geographic location and its historic and cultural links with Africa and Latin America. Eosinophilia is frequent in adult immigrants, travelers and expatriates coming from tropical areas. However, there are few studies that focus on the incidence and causes of tropical eosinophilia and hyper-IgE in immigrant children.We evaluated, prospectively, the prevalence and causes of eosinophilia and hyper-immunoglobulin E (IgE) in 362 immigrant children coming from Sub-Saharan Africa, Northern Africa and Latin America to Salamanca, Spain, between January 2007 and December 2011.Absolute eosinophilia and hyper-IgE were present in 22.9% and 56.8% of the analyzed children, respectively. The most frequent causes of absolute eosinophilia were filariasis (52.6%), strongyloidiasis (46.8%) and schistosomiasis (28.9%). Filariasis (41.9%), strongyloidiasis (29.6%) and schistosomiasis (22.2%) were the most frequent causes of increased levels of IgE. The area under the ROC curve showed similar values between eosinophil count and IgE levels in the diagnosis of helminthiasis (69% [95% confidence interval (CI) 63%-74%] vs 67% [95% CI 60%-72%], P = 0.24). Eosinophilia and hyper-IgE have a high value as biomarkers of helminthiasis in children coming from tropical and subtropical areas.
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Sección de Enfermedades Infecciosas (MB-G); Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General de Palencia "Río Carrión," Palencia (JP-L); IBSAL, CIETUS (LPDV); Laboratorio de Inmunología Parasitaria y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia (AM); Servicio de Medicina Interna (VV-T); Servicio de Microbiología, Grupo de Investigación Reconocido MICRAPE (ABDC); Laboratorio de Inmunología Parasitaria y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia (BV); Servicio de Microbiología (MIG); Servicio de Microbiología, Grupo de Investigación Reconocido MICRAPE (JLMB); Servicio de Medicina Interna, Seccion de Enfermedades Infecciosas (MC-S), Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca (CAUSA), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales de la Universidad de Salamanca (CIETUS), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors: Moncef
authors: M
authors: Belhassen-García
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Pardo-Lledías
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Pérez Del Villar
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Muro
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Velasco-Tirado
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Blázquez de Castro
authors: Belen
authors: B
authors: Vicente
authors: M Inmaculada
authors: MI
authors: García García
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Luis Muñoz Bellido
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Cordero-Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000208:ethnology; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007589:Job Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000469:parasitology*; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007073:Immunoglobulin E