title: The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among migrant female patients in Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among migrant women incoming to Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-center, prospective, observational study was conducted of migrant women who had attended an outpatient clinic in Messina, Italy, between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2013. Participants underwent a gynecologic examination and a cervical smear test. Patients who showed cytologic alterations underwent human papillomavirus (HPV) typing by PCR and allele-specific hybridization. Routine tests for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, and syphilis were done for pregnant participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 724 women were enrolled, of whom 320 (44.2%) were pregnant. The mean ± SD age was 33.1 ± 9.8 years. Cytologic abnormalities were recorded for 76 (10.5%) participants. Among 46 who attended a follow-up clinic, 32 (69.6%) tested positive for HPV serotypes. Among the pregnant women, 9 (2.8%) had HBV infection, 3 (0.9%) had HCV infection, and 1 (0.3%) had HIV infection. No cases of syphilis were recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of STIs among migrant women in Messina is similar to that among nonmigrants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric, Gynaecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. Electronic address: antlagana@unime.it.
authors.forename: Antonio S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Laganà
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gavagni
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric, Gynaecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Justine V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Musubao
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric, Gynaecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfonsa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pizzo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiology; Migrants; Screening; Sexually transmitted infections