Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
Volume 18, Issue 3, 1990, Pages 175-178

Salmonella and Shigella Carriers Among Refugees from the Middle East and Sri Lanka in Denmark (Article)

Kjersem H. , Jepsen S. , Black F.
  • a Department of Treponematoses, Department of Diagnostic Bacteriology, Toxoplasmosis Laboratory, Statens Seruminstitut, Amager Boulevard 80, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
  • b Department of Treponematoses, Department of Diagnostic Bacteriology, Toxoplasmosis Laboratory, Statens Seruminstitut, Amager Boulevard 80, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark, Dept of Infectious Diseases, Marselisborg Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
  • c Danish Red Cross, Denmark

Abstract

One per cent of ten thousand refugees were asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella and Shigella species found by a differentiated health check programme at a Danish Red Cross arrival centre in Denmark 1985 and 1986. Six patients with typhoid fever and one with S. parathyphi-A septicaemia all fell ill within the first few weeks after arrival. A child of a chronic S. typhi carrier developed typhoid fever four months after arrival. Cases of sporadic and mild diarrhoea occurred due to Salmonella and Shigella species. The carriers were instructed in prophylactic, hygienic measures and no outbreaks developed. The health check system in this period seemed to be sufficient in relation to preventing outbreaks of infections caused by non-typhoid Salmonella and Shigella species. The relative cost-effectiveness of a more intensive S. typhi screening on arrival is questionable. The organization of health check systems should be reviewed regularly, as each refugee situation is different and will change in different periods. © 1990, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

migration medicine immigrants health costs health organization Typhoid fever shigellosis salmonellosis

Index Keywords

economic aspect Denmark bacterium carrier priority journal ethnic or racial aspects refugee Article Sri Lanka Salmonella organization and management health care organization health care cost human migration Shigella
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84964173085&doi=10.1177%2f140349489001800304&partnerID=40&md5=afd493a8cd16add336fd6616a0addd8c
DOI: 10.1177/140349489001800304
ISSN: 14034948
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English