Neglected Tropical Diseases outside the Tropics

Abstract

BackgroundThe neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Due to the growth in international travel and immigration, NTDs may be diagnosed in countries of the western world, but there has been no specific focus in the literature on imported NTDs.MethodsRetrospective study of a cohort of immigrants and travelers diagnosed with one of the 13 core NTDs at a Tropical Medicine Referral Unit in Spain during the period April 1989-December 2007. Area of origin or travel was recorded and analyzed.ResultsThere were 6168 patients (2634 immigrants, 3277 travelers and 257 VFR travelers) in the cohort. NTDs occurred more frequently in immigrants, followed by VFR travelers and then by other travelers (p<0.001 for trend). The main NTDs diagnosed in immigrants were onchocerciasis (n = 240, 9.1%) acquired mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, Chagas disease (n = 95, 3.6%) in immigrants from South America, and ascariasis (n = 86, 3.3%) found mainly in immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Most frequent NTDs in travelers were: schistosomiasis (n = 43, 1.3%), onchocerciasis (n = 17, 0.5%) and ascariasis (n = 16, 0.5%), and all were mainly acquired in sub-Saharan Africa. The main NTDs diagnosed in VFR travelers were onchocerciasis (n = 14, 5.4%), and schistosomiasis (n = 2, 0.8%).ConclusionsThe concept of imported NTDs is emerging as these infections acquire a more public profile. Specific issues such as the possibility of non-vectorial transmission outside endemic areas and how some eradication programmes in endemic countries may have an impact even in non-tropical western countries are addressed. Recognising NTDs even outside tropical settings would allow specific prevention and control measures to be implemented and may create unique opportunities for research in future.

Epidemiology and geographical distribution of gastrointestinal parasitic infection in humans in Slovakia

“…Particularly access to safe drinking water have a negative impact on the incidence of infectious diseases (Rimárová, 2010). In Europe the next population at risk is immigrant populations, including migrants from Africa, in which to a high degree occur so-called "neglected infections ", as well as orphans intended for international adoption (Norman et al, 2010). Stool examination of hospitalised paediatric patients with respiratory diseases in Slovakia (recurrent and chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, contact TBC, active TBC, rhinopharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonitis, cystic fi brosis, fl uidothorax, pleuropneumonia) revealed overall prevalence endoparasitoses P = 19.85 %; the prevalence of helminthic infections was P = 7.35 %.…”

Mortality from infectious diseases among refugees and immigrants compared to native Danes: a historical prospective cohort study

“…2009). A high prevalence of these infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS (Norman et al. 2010; Udayaraj et al.…”

Disease appearance and evolution against a background of climate change and reduced resources

“…Chagas disease is no longer a sole concern for Latin America, international spread through immigration has meant that Chagas disease is now a global health problem [26][27][28][29][30]. The southern states of America have experienced increases in sporadic cases of Chagas owing to the constant flow of migrants from central/south America, but also cases from autochthonous spread.…”