Status: Ongoing
The aim of this project is to analyze the number, severity, and type of infectious diseases among travelers who acquire their illness in Eastern European countries.
Background: In the last 30 years, there has been an increase in international travelers to and migrants from Eastern Europe (EE). Limited data are available on the types of infections acquired by these travelers.
Objective: Our aim is to analyze demographic data, types of infection, and reasons for travel among travelers and migrants who acquire their illness in EE using the GeoSentinel database.
Method: This is a retrospective descriptive database analysis of international travelers and migrants seen at GeoSentinel sites between 1 January 2007 through 31 December 2018, during or after travel to EE.
Results: There were 1206 non-migrant travelers with 1533 diagnoses seen during this period at 54 GeoSentinel sites. Median age was 35 years (range 0-93); 639 (53%) were male. Only 98 (8%) had a pre-travel consultation. Most 1085 (91%) were seen after travel and acquired illness in one of twenty EE countries. Frequently reported countries of exposure included Croatia (178; 15%), Romania (155, 13%), and Serbia (119, 10%). The most frequent reasons for travel were tourism (545, 45%) and visiting friends or relatives (468, 39%). Top diagnoses included gastrointestinal diseases (415, 27%), non-tuberculosis respiratory diseases (180, 12%), and animal exposures (317, 21%). Of 98 gastrointestinal cases with known etiology, Campylobacter infection (56, 57%) was most frequently reported. Of 129 (11%) travelers with an animal bite or exposure (dog bite 94 cases, 73%), 121 (94%) received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. Parasitic infections (63, 4%), tuberculosis (31, 2%) and Lyme disease (31, 2%) were also reported. There were 684 migrants with 854 diagnoses. Median age was 36 years (range 0-84); 369 (54%) were male. They most frequently migrated from Romania (161, 24%), Poland (96, 14%), Ukraine (76, 11%) and Albania (71, 10%). Top diseases included: tuberculosis (316, 37%) chronic hepatitis B (102, 12%), chronic hepatitis C (91, 11%), HIV infection (61, 7%) and echinococcosis (49, 6%).
Conclusions: Travelers to EE are at risk of acquiring gastrointestinal diseases, including Camplyobacter, respiratory diseases, exposure to animal or arthropod/insect bites, parasitic infections, tuberculosis, and Lyme disease. Clinicians should consider screening migrants from EE for tuberculosis, hepatitis C, HIV, and echinococcosis
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Status: Ongoing
The aim of this project is to analyze the number, severity, and type of infectious diseases among travelers who acquire their illness in Eastern European countries.
Background: In the last 30 years, there has been an increase in international travelers to and migrants from Eastern Europe (EE). Limited data are available on the types of infections acquired by these travelers.
Objective: Our aim is to analyze demographic data, types of infection, and reasons for travel among travelers and migrants who acquire their illness in EE using the GeoSentinel database.
Method: This is a retrospective descriptive database analysis of international travelers and migrants seen at GeoSentinel sites between 1 January 2007 through 31 December 2018, during or after travel to EE.
Results: There were 1206 non-migrant travelers with 1533 diagnoses seen during this period at 54 GeoSentinel sites. Median age was 35 years (range 0-93); 639 (53%) were male. Only 98 (8%) had a pre-travel consultation. Most 1085 (91%) were seen after travel and acquired illness in one of twenty EE countries. Frequently reported countries of exposure included Croatia (178; 15%), Romania (155, 13%), and Serbia (119, 10%). The most frequent reasons for travel were tourism (545, 45%) and visiting friends or relatives (468, 39%). Top diagnoses included gastrointestinal diseases (415, 27%), non-tuberculosis respiratory diseases (180, 12%), and animal exposures (317, 21%). Of 98 gastrointestinal cases with known etiology, Campylobacter infection (56, 57%) was most frequently reported. Of 129 (11%) travelers with an animal bite or exposure (dog bite 94 cases, 73%), 121 (94%) received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. Parasitic infections (63, 4%), tuberculosis (31, 2%) and Lyme disease (31, 2%) were also reported. There were 684 migrants with 854 diagnoses. Median age was 36 years (range 0-84); 369 (54%) were male. They most frequently migrated from Romania (161, 24%), Poland (96, 14%), Ukraine (76, 11%) and Albania (71, 10%). Top diseases included: tuberculosis (316, 37%) chronic hepatitis B (102, 12%), chronic hepatitis C (91, 11%), HIV infection (61, 7%) and echinococcosis (49, 6%).
Conclusions: Travelers to EE are at risk of acquiring gastrointestinal diseases, including Camplyobacter, respiratory diseases, exposure to animal or arthropod/insect bites, parasitic infections, tuberculosis, and Lyme disease. Clinicians should consider screening migrants from EE for tuberculosis, hepatitis C, HIV, and echinococcosis