Prevalence of infectious diseases, immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases and chronic medical conditions among Ukrainian refugees in Germany - A cross sectional study from the German Network University Medicine (NUM)
Standard
Prevalence of infectious diseases, immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases and chronic medical conditions among Ukrainian refugees in Germany - A cross sectional study from the German Network University Medicine (NUM). / Brinkmann, Folke; Friedrichs, Anette; Behrens, Georg Mn; Behrens, Pia; Berner, Reinhard; Caliebe, Amke; Denkinger, Claudia M; Giesbrecht, Katharina; Gussew, Alexander; Hoffmann, Anna Theresa; Hojenski, Leonhard; Hovardovska, Olga; Dopfer-Jablonka, Alexandra; Kaasch, Achim J; Kobbe, Robin; Kraus, Monika; Lindner, Andreas; Maier, Christoph; Mitrov, Lazar; Nauck, Matthias; de Miranda, Susana Nunes; Scherer, Margarete; Schmiedel, Yvonne; Stahl, Dana; Timmesfeld, Nina; Toepfner, Nicole; Vehreschild, Janne; Wohlgemuth, Walter A; Petersmann, Astrid; Vehreschild, Maria J G T; NU(M)KRAINE Study Group.
in: J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL, Jahrgang 17, Nr. 4, 04.2024, S. 642-649.Publikationen: SCORING: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift/Zeitung › SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz › Forschung › Begutachtung
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of infectious diseases, immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases and chronic medical conditions among Ukrainian refugees in Germany - A cross sectional study from the German Network University Medicine (NUM)
AU - Brinkmann, Folke
AU - Friedrichs, Anette
AU - Behrens, Georg Mn
AU - Behrens, Pia
AU - Berner, Reinhard
AU - Caliebe, Amke
AU - Denkinger, Claudia M
AU - Giesbrecht, Katharina
AU - Gussew, Alexander
AU - Hoffmann, Anna Theresa
AU - Hojenski, Leonhard
AU - Hovardovska, Olga
AU - Dopfer-Jablonka, Alexandra
AU - Kaasch, Achim J
AU - Kobbe, Robin
AU - Kraus, Monika
AU - Lindner, Andreas
AU - Maier, Christoph
AU - Mitrov, Lazar
AU - Nauck, Matthias
AU - de Miranda, Susana Nunes
AU - Scherer, Margarete
AU - Schmiedel, Yvonne
AU - Stahl, Dana
AU - Timmesfeld, Nina
AU - Toepfner, Nicole
AU - Vehreschild, Janne
AU - Wohlgemuth, Walter A
AU - Petersmann, Astrid
AU - Vehreschild, Maria J G T
AU - NU(M)KRAINE Study Group
AU - Addo, Marylyn Martina
AU - Almahfoud, Maher
N1 - Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: Vulnerability to infectious diseases in refugees is dependent on country of origin, flight routes, and conditions. Information on specific medical needs of different groups of refugees is lacking. We assessed the prevalence of infectious diseases, immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases, and chronic medical conditions in children, adolescents, and adult refugees from Ukraine who arrived in Germany in 2022.METHODS: Using different media, we recruited Ukrainian refugees at 13 sites between 9-12/2022. An antigen test for acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, serologies for a range of vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) for tuberculosis (TB), and SARS-CoV-2 were performed. We assessed personal and family history of chronic medical conditions, infectious diseases, vaccination status, and conditions during migration.RESULTS: Overall, 1793 refugees (1401 adults and 392 children/adolescents) were included. Most participants were females (n = 1307; 72·3%) and from Eastern or Southern Ukraine. TB IGRA was positive in 13% (n = 184) of the adults and in 2% (n = 7) of the children. Serology-based immunological response was insufficient in approximately 21% (360/1793) of the participants for measles, 32% (572/1793) for diphtheria, and 74% (1289/1793) for hepatitis B.CONCLUSIONS: We show evidence of low serological response to vaccine-preventable infections and increased LTBI prevalence in Ukrainian refugees. These findings should be integrated into guidelines for screening and treatment of infectious diseases in migrants and refugees in Germany and Europe. Furthermore, low immunity for vaccine-preventable diseases in Ukrainians independent of their refugee status, calls for tailor-made communication efforts.
AB - BACKGROUND: Vulnerability to infectious diseases in refugees is dependent on country of origin, flight routes, and conditions. Information on specific medical needs of different groups of refugees is lacking. We assessed the prevalence of infectious diseases, immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases, and chronic medical conditions in children, adolescents, and adult refugees from Ukraine who arrived in Germany in 2022.METHODS: Using different media, we recruited Ukrainian refugees at 13 sites between 9-12/2022. An antigen test for acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, serologies for a range of vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) for tuberculosis (TB), and SARS-CoV-2 were performed. We assessed personal and family history of chronic medical conditions, infectious diseases, vaccination status, and conditions during migration.RESULTS: Overall, 1793 refugees (1401 adults and 392 children/adolescents) were included. Most participants were females (n = 1307; 72·3%) and from Eastern or Southern Ukraine. TB IGRA was positive in 13% (n = 184) of the adults and in 2% (n = 7) of the children. Serology-based immunological response was insufficient in approximately 21% (360/1793) of the participants for measles, 32% (572/1793) for diphtheria, and 74% (1289/1793) for hepatitis B.CONCLUSIONS: We show evidence of low serological response to vaccine-preventable infections and increased LTBI prevalence in Ukrainian refugees. These findings should be integrated into guidelines for screening and treatment of infectious diseases in migrants and refugees in Germany and Europe. Furthermore, low immunity for vaccine-preventable diseases in Ukrainians independent of their refugee status, calls for tailor-made communication efforts.
KW - Adult
KW - Child
KW - Adolescent
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Refugees
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Prevalence
KW - Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
KW - Universities
KW - Germany/epidemiology
KW - Communicable Diseases/epidemiology
KW - Tuberculosis/epidemiology
KW - Eastern European People
U2 - 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 38458134
VL - 17
SP - 642
EP - 649
JO - J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL
JF - J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL
SN - 1876-0341
IS - 4
ER -