title: Screening for parasite infections in immigrant children from low-income countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Spain, minors represent approximately 20% of the immigration flow. Many of these immigrants come from countries in the tropics and sub-tropics where intestinal parasitic infections caused by helminths and protozoa are one of the major causes of human disease. The main objective of the present work was to describe parasite infections in a group of immigrant children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective evaluation was performed in 373 minors from Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and Latin America. Details were collected from the medical records and physical examination. Urine, stool and peripheral blood samples were obtained for serological and routine laboratory tests. Direct and indirect parasitological tests were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At least 1 parasitic disease was diagnosed in 176 (47.1%) immigrant children, while 77 (20.6%) minors were infected with two or more parasites. The number of parasites was highest in children from Sub-Saharan Africa compared with the rest of the areas of origin (p<.001), and in children from urban areas compared with those from rural areas (OR 1.27 [1.059-1.552], p=.011). The most frequent causes of multiple parasite infection were filariasis plus strongyloidiasis and filariasis plus schistosomiasis. Intestinal parasite infection was diagnosed in 38 cases (13.8%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that for each month of stay, the probability of a positive finding in the stool sample decreased by 0.02% [β=-0.020, (p=.07)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high infection rates of parasite diseases in immigrant children point to the need for screening protocols for certain infectious diseases in these children according to their country of origin and their length of residence in Spain.
authors.affiliation: 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, Paseo San Vicente 58-182, 37007 Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: mbelhassen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belhassen-García
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Palencia (CAUPA), Palencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pardo-Lledías
authors.affiliation: CIETUS, IBSAL, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez Del Villar
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, CAUSA, CIETUS, IBSAL, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Velasco-Tirado
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, CAUSA, CIETUS, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siller Ruiz
authors.affiliation: 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, Paseo San Vicente 58-182, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cordero-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología Parasitaria y Molecular, CIETUS, IBSAL, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Belen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, CAUSA, CIETUS, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernández Egido
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, CAUSA, CIETUS, IBSAL, Grupo de Investigación Reconocido MICRAPE, Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas y del Diagnóstico, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Muñoz Bellido
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología Parasitaria y Molecular, CIETUS, IBSAL, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000208:ethnology; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011203:Poverty; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain
keywords: Child; Helminth infection; Immigrants; Imported infections; Infecciones importadas; Infección por helmintos; Inmigrantes; Niños; Parasite; Parásito