Immigration flows and new epidemiological evidence in southern Italy.

Since 1991, immigration flows have had a relevant impact on the area of Salento, in southern Italy, with thousands of landings every year. For this reason, both temporary and permanent shelters were created. At these centres a team of doctors works permanently and full-time, carefully evaluating the immigrants' state of health and performing the sanitary interventions needed and/or provided by the law. Recently, 55 chickenpox cases were reported among Sri Lankan immigrants, four cases among subjects already sheltered in the centres who became infected after the arrival of the Sri Lankan group, and one in an Italian child. The Sri Lankan immigrants affected by chickenpox were aged 18-41 years and all recovered without sequelae. A seroepidemiological study was also performed. This was the first chickenpox epidemic ever occurred in a shelter for immigrants in Italy. This should induce attention towards the new and unpredictable sanitary emergencies that may occur in such contexts.