Infectious Diseases of Poverty
Volume 5, Issue 1, 2016

Prevalence of chronic infections and susceptibility to measles and varicellazoster virus in Latin American immigrants (Article) (Open Access)

Jackson Y.* , Santos L. , Arm-Vernez I. , Mauris A. , Wolff H. , Chappuis F. , Getaz L.
  • a Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil 6, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • b Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • c Department of Genetics and Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • d Department of Genetics and Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • e Division of Correctional Medicine and Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • f Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • g Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, Division of Correctional Medicine and Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract

Background: Large numbers of Latin American immigrants recently arrived in Western Europe. Curative and preventive programmes need to take account of their risk of suffering and transmitting imported chronic infections and of their susceptibility to cosmopolitan infections. We aimed to assess the prevalence and co-occurrence of imported chronic infections among Latin American immigrants, and their susceptibility to highly prevalent cosmopolitan infections. Methods: Adult participants were recruited in the community and in a primary health centre in Geneva in 2008. Serological tests were performed on stored sera for HIV, HBV, syphilis, Strongyloides stercoralis, Trypanosoma cruzi, varicella and measles. We considered only chronic active infections in the analysis. Results and discussion: The 1 012 participants, aged 37.2 (SD 11.3) years, were mostly female (82.5 %) and Bolivians (48 %). Overall, 209 (20.7 %) had at least one and 27 (2.7 %) two or more chronic infections. T. cruzi (12.8 %) and S. stercoralis (8.4 %) were the most prevalent chronic active infections compared to syphilis (0.4 %), HBV (0.4 %) and HIV (1.4 %). Concomitant infections affected 28.2 and 18.5 % of T. cruzi and S. stercoralis infected cases. Bolivian origin (aOR: 13.6; 95 % CI: 3.2-57.9) was associated with risk of multiple infections. Susceptibilities for VZV and measles were 0.7 and 1.4 %, respectively. Latin American immigrants are at risk of complications and possible reactivation of chronic parasitic infections but have overall low risks of chronic viral and syphilitic active infections. Conclusions: Systematic screening for chronic active parasitic infections is therefore necessary especially among Bolivians. The high protection rate against measles and VZV doesn't require specific preventive interventions. © 2016 Jackson et al.

Author Keywords

immigrants Europe Chronic infection Trypanosma cruzi HIV Co-infection Strongyloides stercoralis

Index Keywords

Strongyloides stercoralis South and Central America Latin America Europe Herpesvirus 3, Human Varicella zoster virus Disease Susceptibility human Communicable Diseases middle aged statistics and numerical data controlled study priority journal Animals Hepatitis B virus chronic disease Human immunodeficiency virus ethnology animal Cross-Sectional Studies United States cross-sectional study migrant Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor enzyme linked immunosorbent assay serodiagnosis Syphilis Measles virus prevalence Coinfection Article adult disease predisposition Chagas Disease retrospective study Bolivia measles infection sensitivity Trypanosoma cruzi pathogenicity
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85007300863&doi=10.1186%2fs40249-016-0136-7&partnerID=40&md5=af153cc070b268c7caeb8e259f60222a
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-016-0136-7
ISSN: 20955162
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English