International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 66, 2018, Pages 22-25

Infectious disease risks among refugees from North Korea (Article) (Open Access)

Nishiura H.* , Lee H. , Yuan B. , Endo A. , Akhmetzhanov A.R. , Chowell G.
  • a Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15 Jo Nishi 7 Chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan, CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
  • b Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15 Jo Nishi 7 Chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan, CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
  • c Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15 Jo Nishi 7 Chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan, CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
  • d Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15 Jo Nishi 7 Chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan, CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
  • e Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15 Jo Nishi 7 Chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan, CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
  • f School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States

Abstract

Objectives The characteristics of disease in North Korea, including severe malnutrition and infectious disease risks, have not been openly and widely analyzed. This study was performed to estimate the risks of infectious diseases among refugees from North Korea. Methods A literature review of clinical studies among North Korean defectors was conducted to statistically estimate the risks of infectious diseases among North Korean subjects. Results A total of six groups of data from five publications covering the years 2004 to 2014 were identified. Tuberculosis and viral hepatitis appeared to be the two most common infectious diseases, especially among adult refugees. When comparing the risks of infectious diseases between North Korean and Syrian refugees, it is critical to remember that Plasmodium vivax malaria has been endemic in North Korea, while cutaneous leishmaniasis has frequently been seen among Syrian migrants. Conclusions Valuable datasets from health surveys of defectors were reviewed. In addition to tuberculosis and viral hepatitis, which were found to be the two most common infectious diseases, a special characteristic of North Korean defectors was Plasmodium vivax malaria. This needs to be added to the list of differential diagnoses for pyretic patients. © 2017 The Author(s)

Author Keywords

Migration Risk assessment Importation Democratic People's Republic of Korea epidemic Prevalence

Index Keywords

South Korea rickettsiosis Republic of Korea refugee North Korean Democratic People's Republic of Korea acute gastroenteritis human Refugees statistics and numerical data typhoid fever chickenpox Malaria sinusitis ethnology virus hepatitis sexually transmitted disease cholera Surveys and Questionnaires Humans flaccid paralysis male female tuberculosis risk factor Risk Factors mouth infection North Korea questionnaire paratyphoid fever Article major clinical study Syrian adult endemic disease Plasmodium vivax malaria infection skin leishmaniasis skin infection influenza measles intestine parasite Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85034649323&doi=10.1016%2fj.ijid.2017.10.021&partnerID=40&md5=55892b83b632e0fa52fab819d0d38cbf
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.10.021
ISSN: 12019712
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English