PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Volume 9, Issue 2, 2015

Prevalence of Chagas Disease in Latin-American Migrants Living in Europe: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Article) (Open Access)

Requena-Méndez A.* , Aldasoro E. , de Lazzari E. , Sicuri E. , Brown M. , Moore D.A.J. , Gascon J. , Muñoz J.
  • a ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • b ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • c ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • d ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • e Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • f Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • g ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • h ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract

Few studies have assessed the burden of Chagas disease in non-endemic countries and most of them are based on prevalence estimates from Latin American (LA) countries that likely differ from the prevalence in migrants living in Europe. The aim of this study was to systematically review the existing data informing current understanding of the prevalence of Chagas disease in LA migrants living in European countries. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting prevalence of Chagas disease in European countries belonging to the European Union (EU) before 2004 in accordance with the MOOSE guidelines and based on the database sources MEDLINE and Global Health. No restrictions were placed on study date, study design or language of publication. The pooled prevalence was estimated using random effect models based on DerSimonian & Laird method. We identified 18 studies conducted in five European countries. The random effect pooled prevalence was 4.2% (95%CI:2.2-6.7%); and the heterogeneity of Chagas disease prevalence among studies was high (I2 = 97%,p<0.001). Migrants from Bolivia had the highest prevalence of Chagas disease (18.1%, 95%CI:13.9–22.7%). Prevalence of Chagas in LA migrants living in Europe is high, particularly in migrants from Bolivia and Paraguay. Data are highly heterogeneous dependent upon country of origin and within studies of migrants from the same country of origin. Country-specific prevalence differs from the estimates available from LA countries. Our meta-analysis provides prevalence estimates of Chagas disease that should be used to estimate the burden of disease in European countries. © 2015 Requena-Méndez et al.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

publication South and Central America Latin America methodology demography Europe human data base meta analysis Humans migrant Emigrants and Immigrants prevalence isolation and purification Article migration Transients and Migrants Chagas Disease systematic review Trypanosoma cruzi public health data extraction
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84924023040&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pntd.0003540&partnerID=40&md5=1d5816b2093b415165947c433b26a95e
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003540
ISSN: 19352727
Cited by: 97
Original Language: English