Ana Requena-Méndez1,2, Joaquin Salas-Coronas3, Fernando Salvador4, Joan Gomez-Junyent5, Judith Villar-Garcia6, Miguel Santin5, Carme Muñoz7, Ana González-Cordón8, Maria Teresa Cabezas Fernández3, Elena Sulleiro9, Maria Del Mar Arenas6, Dolors Somoza10, Jose Vazquez-Villegas11, Begoña Treviño12, Esperanza Rodríguez13, Maria Eugenia Valls14, Jaume LLaberia-Marcual7, Carme Subirá1, Jose Muñoz1. 1. Barcelona Institute for Global Health, ISGlobal-Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. 2. Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Solna, Sweden. 3. Tropical Medicine Unit, Hospital de Poniente, El Ejido, 04700 Almería, Spain. 4. Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. 5. Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitari Bellvitge, 08907 Barcelona, Spain. 6. Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital del Mar-IMIM, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. 7. Department of Microbiology, Hospital Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain. 8. Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clinic, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. 9. Department of Microbiology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. 10. Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Bellvitge, 08907 Barcelona, Spain. 11. Tropical Medicine Unit, Distrito Poniente, 04700 Almería, Spain. 12. Tropical Medicine Unit Vall d'Hebron-Drassanes, PROSICS Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. 13. Parasitology Department, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia-Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28020 Madrid, Spain. 14. Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona 08036, Spain.
Abstract
Introduction: Strongyloidiasis is a prevailing helminth infection ubiquitous in tropical and subtropical areas, however, seroprevalence data are scarce in migrant populations, particularly for those coming for Asia. Methods: This study aims at evaluating the prevalence of S. stercoralis at the hospital level in migrant populations or long term travellers being attended in out-patient and in-patient units as part of a systematic screening implemented in six Spanish hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted and systematic screening for S. stercoralis infection using serological tests was offered to all eligible participants. Results: The overall seroprevalence of S. stercoralis was 9.04% (95%CI 7.76-10.31). The seroprevalence of people with a risk of infection acquired in Africa and Latin America was 9.35% (95%CI 7.01-11.69), 9.22% (7.5-10.93), respectively. The number of individuals coming from Asian countries was significantly smaller and the overall prevalence in these countries was 2.9% (95%CI -0.3-6.2). The seroprevalence in units attending potentially immunosuppressed patients was significantly lower (5.64%) compared with other units of the hospital (10.20%) or Tropical diseases units (13.33%) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: We report a hospital-based strongyloidiasis seroprevalence of almost 10% in a mobile population coming from endemic areas suggesting the need of implementing strongyloidiasis screening in hospitalized patients coming from endemic areas, particularly if they are at risk of immunosuppression.
Introduction: Strongyloidiasis is a prevailing helminth infection ubiquitous in tropical and subtropical areas, however, seroprevalence data are scarce in migrant populations, particularly for those coming for Asia. Methods: This study aims at evaluating the prevalence of S. stercoralis at the hospital level in migrant populations or long term travellers being attended in out-patient and in-patient units as part of a systematic screening implemented in six Spanish hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted and systematic screening for S. stercoralisinfection using serological tests was offered to all eligible participants. Results: The overall seroprevalence of S. stercoralis was 9.04% (95%CI 7.76-10.31). The seroprevalence of people with a risk of infection acquired in Africa and Latin America was 9.35% (95%CI 7.01-11.69), 9.22% (7.5-10.93), respectively. The number of individuals coming from Asian countries was significantly smaller and the overall prevalence in these countries was 2.9% (95%CI -0.3-6.2). The seroprevalence in units attending potentially immunosuppressed patients was significantly lower (5.64%) compared with other units of the hospital (10.20%) or Tropical diseases units (13.33%) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: We report a hospital-based strongyloidiasis seroprevalence of almost 10% in a mobile population coming from endemic areas suggesting the need of implementing strongyloidiasis screening in hospitalized patients coming from endemic areas, particularly if they are at risk of immunosuppression.