European Journal of Epidemiology
Volume 32, Issue 8, 2017, Pages 733-735

The hidden epidemic of schistosomiasis in recent African immigrants and asylum seekers to Italy (Letter)

Beltrame A.* , Buonfrate D. , Gobbi F. , Angheben A. , Marchese V. , Monteiro G.B. , Bisoffi Z.
  • a Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy
  • b Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy
  • c Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy
  • d Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy
  • e Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy
  • f Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy
  • g Centre for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Via Sempreboni 5, Negrar, 37024, Italy

Abstract

The prevalence of schistosomiasis among recent refugees from sub-Saharan Africa in Italy is unknown. This is a retrospective review of African immigrants screened at Centre for Tropical Diseases of Negrar from March 2014 to February 2016. Of the 373 immigrants tested, 34% were positive at least at one schistosomiasis test. The proportion of positive ELISA serology was 103/373 (27.6%). At microscopy, infected subjects were 65/373 (17.4%), (51% Schistosoma haematobium, 38% Schistosoma mansoni, 11% both). CCA antigen for S. mansoni was positive in 47/373 individuals (12.6%). We found a particularly high positivity rate in subjects from Mali (72.1%) and Ivory Coast (48%). This “hidden epidemic” of schistosomiasis cannot be longer neglected, considering the risk of severe complications, and the effective and inexpensive treatment available. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Author Keywords

immigrants Europe Refugees Infectious diseases screening Schistosomiasis Africa

Index Keywords

Nigeria immigrant Africa south of the Sahara refugee Letter human Refugees statistics and numerical data Ghana Animals ethnology Gambia animal asylum seeker Epidemics Senegal migrant Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants Schistosoma mansoni female enzyme linked immunosorbent assay prevalence isolation and purification Schistosoma haematobium epidemic Retrospective Studies major clinical study adult schistosomiasis serology Somalia Italy disease severity Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay retrospective study Mali cost effectiveness analysis Cote d'Ivoire
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85019701290&doi=10.1007%2fs10654-017-0259-6&partnerID=40&md5=2614e19326ef60fde25343caf932e826
DOI: 10.1007/s10654-017-0259-6
ISSN: 03932990
Cited by: 16
Original Language: English