title: Viral hepatitis and immigration: A challenge for the healthcare system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viral hepatitis is a significant health problem in African countries. The increase in the immigrant population from this continent represents a challenge for the Spanish healthcare system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study was conducted on the prevalence of the serological markers of hepatitis B (HBV), C (HCV) and D (HDV) in African immigrants treated in a specialised doctor's office.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 2518 patients (87.7% Sub-Saharan natives), with a mean age of 31.3 years. Some 78.8% of the patients had a positive infection marker for HBV, and 638 patients (25.3%) were diagnosed with active hepatitis B (HBsAg +). In 19 cases, antibodies against HDV were detected (4 cases with detection of the viral genome). Sixty-eight patients had antibodies against HCV, 26 of whom had a positive viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence of viral hepatitis in immigrants, especially HBV infection, represents a significant change in the profile of patients treated in Spain and requires measures aimed at early diagnosis and transmission prevention.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, España. Electronic address: jacuencag@gmail.com.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cuenca-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, España; CEMyRI (Centro de Estudio de las Migraciones y Relaciones Interculturales), Universidad de Almería, Almería, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salas-Coronas
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, España.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soriano-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Distrito Poniente, Almería, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Villegas
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, España.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lozano-Serrano
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, España; CEMyRI (Centro de Estudio de las Migraciones y Relaciones Interculturales), Universidad de Almería, Almería, España.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cabezas-Fernández
keywords: Africanos; Africans; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis D; Immigrants; Inmigrantes