Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
Volume 22, 2018, Pages 58-65

Sentinel surveillance data from Eritrean migrants in Italy: The theory of “Healthy Migrants” (Article)

Ciccozzi M. , Cella E. , Ceccarelli G. , Vita S. , Dicuonzo G. , Lopalco M. , Antonelli F. , Conti A. , Ottaviani R. , De Cesaris M. , Spoto S. , Angeletti S.*
  • a Department of Infectious, Parasitic, and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Epidemiology Unit, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology, and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM), National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy, Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
  • b Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy, Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome, “Sapienza”, Policlinico “Umberto I”, Rome, Italy
  • c Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome, “Sapienza”, Policlinico “Umberto I”, Rome, Italy, Migrant Health Research Organisation (Mi-HeRO) – Centro di Ricerca sulla Salute delle Popolazioni Mobili e Globale, Italy
  • d Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome, “Sapienza”, Policlinico “Umberto I”, Rome, Italy, Migrant Health Research Organisation (Mi-HeRO) – Centro di Ricerca sulla Salute delle Popolazioni Mobili e Globale, Italy
  • e Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
  • f Sanitary Bureau of Asylum Seekers Center of Castelnuovo di Porto, Rome, Italy, Auxilium Società Cooperativa Sociale, Senise, PZ, Italy
  • g Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
  • h Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
  • i Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
  • j Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
  • k Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
  • l Unit of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy

Abstract

Background: Eritrean migrants accounted for the majority of people who drowned in the Mediterranean this year. Recently, data deficit about international migration has been reported. Methods: One hundred and thirty-three Eritrean migrants, upon their arrival in Italy, were accommodated at the asylum seekers center of Castelnuovo di Porto, together with 25 sanitary workers, and received microbiological surveillance at the Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit of the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome. Results: Gram-negative bacteria, mostly Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca, were frequently recovered in surveillance swabs. Gram-positive bacteria, represented by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus, were also isolated in surveillance swabs. In migrants, polymicrobial swabs were recovered at high frequency, and unusual microorganisms, rarely found in our country, were isolated. Conclusion: The polymicrobial colonization and the high prevalence of gram-negative bacteria represent the baseline characteristics of this migrant population from Eritrea. The presence of unusual microorganisms can be potentially pathogenic to asymptomatic carriers at risk of developing clinical disease if immunosuppressed or subjected to invasive procedures. In conclusion, active microbiological surveillance can represent an advantage for the host country in terms of data collection and by tracing unusual or resistant microorganisms by monitoring migrants' health status. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Author Keywords

Polymicrobial colonization Microbiological surveillance Eritrean migrants Antimicrobial resistance Unusual microorganisms

Index Keywords

Staphylococcus Eritrea refugee Human immunodeficiency virus infection Escherichia coli health care personnel human Refugees travel statistics and numerical data controlled study priority journal Health Surveys Cross-Sectional Studies asylum seeker Young Adult Sentinel Surveillance cross-sectional study migrant Humans male Enterococcus casseliflavus female Citrobacter Staphylococcus aureus intestine examination Enterococcus faecium Kluyvera Kluyvera ascorbata Hafnia alvei Streptococcus pyogenes Pseudomonas Candida albicans nose smear Klebsiella oxytoca Klebsiella pneumoniae isolation and purification Leclercia adecarboxylata Gram negative bacterium Article Bacteria Streptococcus dysgalactiae Escherichia Eritrean communicable disease adult major clinical study bacterium Escherichia vulneris rectal swab Streptomyces throat culture Streptomyces avidinii antibiotic sensitivity Wautersiella falsenii Streptococcus pneumoniae antibiotic resistance Italy microbial sensitivity test antiinfective agent Drug Resistance, Bacterial hepatitis B Microbial Sensitivity Tests Anti-Bacterial Agents drug effect non communicable disease methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85036504062&doi=10.1016%2fj.tmaid.2017.09.004&partnerID=40&md5=2421f56451a8eda31a027a45ec187a5a
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2017.09.004
ISSN: 14778939
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English