Asymptomatic Strongyloidiasis among Latin American Migrants in Spain: A Community-Based Approach
Strongyloides stercoralis infection is frequently underdiagnosed since many infections remain asymptomatic. Aim: To estimate the prevalence and characteristics of asymptomatic S. stercoralis infection in Latin American migrants attending a community-based screening program for Chagas disease in Spai...
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Published in | Pathogens (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 6; p. 511 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Basel
MDPI AG
24.06.2020
MDPI |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Strongyloides stercoralis infection is frequently underdiagnosed since many infections remain asymptomatic. Aim: To estimate the prevalence and characteristics of asymptomatic S. stercoralis infection in Latin American migrants attending a community-based screening program for Chagas disease in Spain. Methodology: Three community-based Chagas disease screening campaigns were performed in Alicante (Spain) in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Serological testing for S. stercoralis infection was performed using a non-automatized IVD-ELISA detecting IgG (DRG Instruments GmbH, Marburg, Germany). Results: Of the 616 migrants from Central and South America who were screened, 601 were included in the study: 100 children and adolescents (<18 years of age) and 501 adults. Among the younger group, 6 participants tested positive (prevalence 6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5% to 13.1%), while 60 adults did so (prevalence 12%, 95% CI 9.3% to 15.3%). S. stercoralis infection was more common in men than in women (odds ratio adjusted [ORa] 2.28, 95% CI 1.289 to 4.03) and in those from Bolivia (ORa 2.03, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.59). Prevalence increased with age (ORa 1.02, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.05). In contrast, a university education had a protective effect (ORa 0.29, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.88). Forty-one (41/66; 62.1%) of the total cases of S. stercoralis infection were treated at the health care center. Positive stool samples were observed in 19.5% of the followed-up positive cases. Conclusion: Incorporating serological screening for S. stercoralis into community-based screening for Chagas disease is a useful intervention to detect asymptomatic S. stercoralis infection in Central and South American migrants and an opportunity to tackle neglected tropical diseases in a transversal way. The remaining challenge is to achieve patients’ adherence to the medical follow-up. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 Members of the Corazones Sin Chagas Platform: María García-López, Cristina Bernal-Alcaraz, Pedro B. Guevara-Hernández, Jara Llenas-García, Joan Gregori-Colome, Ana Lucas-Dato, Esther Martínez-Birlanga & Estefanía García-Rodríguez (Hospital Vega Baja, Orihuela); José-Manuel Ramos Rincón, Diego Torrús-Tendero, Mª Paz Ventero-Martín, Adelina Gimeno-Gascón, Ares Sánchez-Sánchez, Roser Muñoz-Pérez, Carmen Almoedo Albero (Hospital General Universitario de Alicante), Concepción Gil-Anguita, Concepción Amador-Prous, Concepción Amador Prous, Ana-Isabel Pujades-Tárraga, Antonio Santonja, María Sánchez-Valera, & Rosa Sánchez-García (Hospital Marina Baixa Villajoyosa), Miriam Navarro Beltrá (Universidad Miguel Hernández), province of Alicante, Spain. These authors contributed equally to this work. |
ISSN: | 2076-0817 2076-0817 |
DOI: | 10.3390/pathogens9060511 |