Prevalence of latent tuberculosis, syphilis, hepatitis B and C among asylum seekers in Malta

Journal of Public Health (United Kingdom)

Volumn 36, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 22-27

  Padovese, V ^a   Egidi, A M ^a   Melillo, T Fenech ^b   Farrugia, B ^c   Carabot, P ^d   Didero, D ^a   Costanzo, G ^a   Mirisola, C ^a  

^a ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITÀ   (Italy)

^b Ministry of Health   (Malta)

^c MATER DEI HOSPITAL   (Malta)

^d Boffa Hospital   (Malta)

Author keywords

hepatitis; Malta; migrants; sexually transmitted infections; tuberculosis

Indexed keywords

EID: 84897706342     PISSN: 17413842     EISSN: 17413850     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdt036     Document Type: Article

References (33)

1. World Health Organization (WHO). Malta. Country Cooperation Strategy. [cited 29 September 2011]. http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation-strategy/ ccsbrief-mlt-en.pdf
2. World Health Organization (WHO). TB Profile, Malta, 2009 [cited 22 September 2011]. https://extranet.who.int/sree/Reports?op= Replet&name=/WHO- HQ-Reports/G2/PROD/EXT/TBCountryProfile&ISO2=MT&outtype=html
3. World Health Organization (WHO). TB Profile, Somalia, 2009 [cited 22 September 2011]. https://extranet.who.int/sree/Reports?op= Replet&name=/WHO- HQ-Reports/G2/PROD/EXT/TBCountry Profile&ISO2=SO&outtype=html
4. World Health Organization (WHO). TB Profile, Ethiopia, 2009 [cited 22 September 2011]. https://extranet.who.int/sree/Reports?op= Replet&name=/WHO- HQ-Reports/G2/PROD/EXT/TBCountry Profile&ISO2=ET&outtype=html
5. Maguire H, Dale J, McHugh T et al. Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in London 1995-7 showing low rate of active transmission. Thorax 2002;57:617-22.
6. Dasgupta K, Menzies D. Cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis control strategies among immigrants and refugees. Eur Respir J 2005;25: 1107-16.
7. Dhale UR, Sandven P, Heldal E et al. Continued low rates of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Norway. J Clin Microbiol 2003;41:2968-73.
8. Schembri G, Carabot P. Setting up the first genitourinary clinic in Malta and an audit of the initial performance. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2007;21:1375-80.
9. Shimelis T, Torben W, Medhin G et al. Hepatitis B virus infection among people attending the voluntary counseling and testing centre and anti-retroviral therapy clinic of St Paul's General Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sex Transm Infect 2008;84:37-41.
10. Tiruneh M. Seroprevalence of multiple sexually transmitted infections among antenatal clinic attendees in Gondar Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia. Ethiop Med J 2008;46:359-66.
11. Sokol JE. Measurement of delayed skin test responses. N Engl J Med 1975;293:501-2.
12. Nienhaus A, Schablon A, Diel R. Interferon-gamma release assay for the diagnosis of latent TB infection-analysis of discordant results, when compared to the tuberculin skin test. PLoS ONE 2008;3:e2665.
13. Candotti D, Opare-Sem O, Rezvan H et al. Molecular and serological characterization of hepatitis B virus in deferred Ghanaian blood donors with and without elevated alanine aminotransferase. J Viral Hepat 2006;13:715-24.
14. Scotto G, Martinelli D, Di Tullio R et al. Epidemiological and clinical features of hepatitis B virus genotypes among immigrants in Southern Italy. Hep Res Treat 2010;2010:878356.
15. Brostoff JM, Plyven C, Birns J. Khat-a novel cause of drug induced hepatitis. Eur J Intern Med 2006;17:383.
16. Chapman MH, Kajihara M, Borges G et al. Severe, acute liver injury and Khat leaves. N Engl J Med 2010;362:1642-4.
17. Walls T, Shingadia D. The epidemiology of tuberculosis in Europe. Arch Dis Child 2007;92:726-9.
18. Dahle U, Sandven P, Heldal E et al. Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Norway. J Clin Microbiol 2001;39:1802-7.
19. Patel S, Parsyan AE, Gunn J et al. Risk of progression to active tuberculosis among foreign-born persons with latent tuberculosis. Chest 2007;131:1811-6.
20. Urbanus AT, van de Laar TJ, van den Hoek A et al. Hepatitis C in the general population of various ethnic origins living in the Netherlands: should non-Western migrants be screened? J Hepatol 2011;55:1207-14.
21. Valerio L, Barro S, Pérez B et al. Seroprevalence of chronic viral hepatitis markers in 791 recent immigrants in Catalonia, Spain. Screening and vaccination against hepatitis B recommendations. Rev Clin Esp 2008;208:426-31.
22. Aweis D, Brabin BJ, Beeching NJ et al. Hepatitis B prevalence and risk factors for HBsAg carriage amongst Somali households in Liverpool. Common Dis Public Health 2001;4:247-52.
23. Veldhuijzen IK, Toy M, Hahné SJ et al. Screening and early treatment of migrants for chronic hepatitis B virus infection is costeffective. Gastroenterology 2010;138:522-30.
24. Wong WW, Woo G, Jenny Heathcote E et al. Cost effectiveness of screening immigrants for hepatitis B. Liver Int 2011;31:1179-90.
25. Lillebaek T, Andersen AB, Bauer J et al. Risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission in a low-incidence country due to immigration from high-incidence areas. J Clin Microbiol 2001;39:855-61.
26. Lillebaek T, Andersen AB, Dirksen A et al. Persistent high incidence of tuberculosis in immigrants in a low-incidence country. Emerg Infect Dis 2002;8:679-84.
27. Ruggles R, Young Y, Rayner CF. Contact tracing and population screening for tuberculosis-who should be assessed? J Public Health Med 2003;25:391-2.
28. Klinkenberg E, Manissero D, Semenza JC et al. Migrants tuberculosis screening in the EU/EEA: yield, coverage and limitations. Eur Respir J 2009;34:1180-9.
29. Hardy AB, Varma R, Collyns T et al. Cost-effectiveness of the NICE guidelines for screening for latent tuberculosis infection: the QuantiFERON-TB Gold IGRA alone is more costeffective for immigrants from high burden countries. Thorax 2010;65:178-80.
30. Snider DE Jr, Caras GJ. Isoniazid-associated hepatitis deaths: a review of available information. Am Rev Respir Dis 1992;145:494-7.
31. Lonnroth K, Jaramillo E, Williams BG et al. Drivers of tuberculosis epidemics: the role of risk factors and social determinants. Soc Sci Med 2009;68:2240-6.
32. Almasio PL, Babudieri S, Barbarini G et al. Recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C in special population groups (migrants, intravenous drug users and prison inmates). Dig Liver Dis 2011;43:589-95.
33. Ormerod LP, Green RM, Gray S. Are there still effects on Indian subcontinent ethnic tuberculosis of return visits? A longitudinal study 1978-97. J Infect 2001;43:132-4.