title: High Prevalence of Infectious Diseases and Drug-Resistant Microorganisms in Asylum Seekers Admitted to Hospital; No Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae until September 2015.
abstract: The current refugee crisis emphasizes the need for information on infectious diseases and resistant microorganisms in asylum seekers with possible consequences for public health and infection control.
  
  
  
  We collected data from asylum seekers admitted to our university hospital or who presented at the Emergency Department (n = 273). We collected general and demographic characteristics including country of origin, the reason of presentation, and the screening results of multi-drug resistant organisms.
  
  
  
  67% of the patients were male with a median age of the study group of 24 years (IQR 15-33); 48% of the patients had an infectious disease-predominantly malaria with P. vivax or tuberculosis. Patients also reported with diseases which are less common-e.g. leishmaniasis, or even conditions rarely diagnosed in Europe-e.g. louse borne relapsing fever. A carriage rate of 31% for multi-drug resistant microorganisms (MDRO) was observed, with ESBL-expressing E.coli (n = 20) being the most common MDRO. No carriage of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae was found.
  
  
  
  The current refugee crisis in Europe challenges hospitals to quickly identify and respond to communicable diseases and the carriage of MDRO. A rapid response is necessary to optimize the treatment of infectious diseases amongst asylum seekers to maximize infection control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sofanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ravensbergen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mariëtte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lokate
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Centre for Asylum Seekers (Gezondheidscentrum Asielzoekers), Ter Apel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cornish
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eveline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kloeze
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Microbiology, Certe, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alewijn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alex W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Tuberculosis Control, Regional Public Health Service Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Hest
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Onno W
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Akkerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wiel C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: de Lange
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tjip S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: van der Werf
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bathoorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ymkje
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8844-8859
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stienstra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods; D012036:Refugees; D055815:Young Adult; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C063912:carbapenemase