title: Imported transmissible diseases in minors coming to Spain from low-income areas.
abstract: We prospectively studied the prevalence of imported transmissible diseases in 373 immigrant children and adolescents coming from Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Latin America to Salamanca, Spain. The most frequent transmissible diseases in this group were latent tuberculosis (12.7%), chronic hepatitis B virus infection (4.2%), hepatitis C virus infection (2.3%), syphilis (1.5%) and human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 or 2 infections (1.4%). A total of 24.2% of patients had serologic profiles suggesting past hepatitis B virus infection. Anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibodies were not detected in any subject. Largely asymptomatic immigrant children show a high prevalence of communicable diseases. Thus, infectious disease screenings are highly advisable in immigrant children coming from low-income countries.
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Sección de Enfermedades Infecciosas, 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, Salmanca, Spain. Electronic address: mbelhassen@hotmail.com.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Belhassen-García
authors: IBSAL, CIETUS, Universidad de Salamanca, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Pérez Del Villar
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, General Hospital of Palencia, Palencia, Spain.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Pardo-Lledias
authors: Servicio de Microbiologia, CAUSA, IBSAL, CIETUS, Grupo de Investigación Reconocido MICRAPE de la Universidad de Salamanca, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: M N
authors: MN
authors: Gutiérrez Zufiaurre
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, CAUSA, IBSAL, CIETUS, Universidad de Salamanca, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Velasco-Tirado
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Sección de Enfermedades Infecciosas, 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, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cordero-Sánchez
authors: Servicio de Microbiologia, CAUSA, IBSAL, CIETUS, Grupo de Investigación Reconocido MICRAPE de la Universidad de Salamanca, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Muñoz Criado
authors: Servicio de Microbiologia, CAUSA, IBSAL, CIETUS, Grupo de Investigación Reconocido MICRAPE de la Universidad de Salamanca, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Muñoz Bellido
authors: Laboratorio de Inmunología Parasitaria y Molecular, IBSAL, CIETUS, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Salmanca, Spain.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Muro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000352:Africa, Northern; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007843:Latin America; D008297:Male; D033242:Minors; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Adolescents; chronic diseases; immigrants; imported diseases; transmissible diseases