Medical Clinics of North America
Volume 92, Issue 6, 2008, Pages 1447-1458

Role of Immigrants and Migrants in Emerging Infectious Diseases (Review)

Barnett E.D.* , Walker P.F.
  • a Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Room 625, 670 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
  • b Center for International Health, Travel Medicine Program, HealthPartners Medical Group, St. Paul, MN, United States, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States

Abstract

Population migration plays a critical role in the spread of disease by initiating outbreaks of acute diseases, changing the prevalence of infectious diseases at a given location, and changing the face of chronic disease resulting from previous infection. This article focuses on the recent demographic changes in North America that have facilitated the introduction and spread of new microbial threats, the role migrant populations play in changing the demographics of specific infectious diseases, and the potential responses of clinicians and public health officials in addressing the challenges posed by these infections. The emphasis of the article is on immigrant and migrant populations entering North America; the role of travelers in emerging infectious diseases is addressed in another article in this issue. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Immigrant migrant Emerging infectious diseases

Index Keywords

World Health public health service demography priority journal adoption chronic disease Humans North America Emigrants and Immigrants tuberculosis Review Communicable Diseases, Emerging epidemic disease transmission hepatitis infection immunization population migration public health Parasitic Diseases
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-54949110954&doi=10.1016%2fj.mcna.2008.07.001&partnerID=40&md5=71b3abf40b9469569d4393c38a99ea46
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2008.07.001
ISSN: 00257125
Cited by: 25
Original Language: English