Revista Clinica Espanola
Volume 216, Issue 5, 2016, Pages 248-252

Viral hepatitis and immigration: A challenge for the healthcare system [Hepatitis virales e inmigración: un reto para el sistema sanitario] (Article)

Cuenca-Gómez J.A.* , Salas-Coronas J. , Soriano-Pérez M.J. , Vázquez-Villegas J. , Lozano-Serrano A.B. , Cabezas-Fernández M.T.
  • a Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, Spain
  • b Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, Spain, CEMyRI (Centro de Estudio de Las Migraciones y Relaciones Interculturales), Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
  • c Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, Spain
  • d Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Distrito Poniente, Almería, Spain
  • e Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, Spain
  • f Unidad de Medicina Tropical, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, Spain, CEMyRI (Centro de Estudio de Las Migraciones y Relaciones Interculturales), Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain

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. Material and 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. © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

immigrants Africans Hepatitis D Hepatitis B Hepatitis C

Index Keywords

virus load human virus genome delta agent hepatitis major clinical study health care system African hepatitis B prevalence virus hepatitis Article hepatitis antibody hepatitis B antigen immigration adult serology hepatitis C
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961162369&doi=10.1016%2fj.rce.2016.02.005&partnerID=40&md5=b440fbd5388a530ac44e140cc5257d41
DOI: 10.1016/j.rce.2016.02.005
ISSN: 00142565
Cited by: 6
Original Language: Spanish