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)

Folke Brinkmann; Anette Friedrichs; Georg Mn Behrens; Pia Behrens; Reinhard Berner; Amke Caliebe; Claudia M Denkinger; Katharina Giesbrecht; Alexander Gussew; Anna Theresa Hoffmann; Leonhard Hojenski; Olga Hovardovska; Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka; Achim J Kaasch; Robin Kobbe; Monika Kraus; Andreas Lindner; Christoph Maier; Lazar Mitrov; Matthias Nauck; Susana Nunes de Miranda; Margarete Scherer; Yvonne Schmiedel; Dana Stahl; Nina Timmesfeld; Nicole Toepfner; Janne Vehreschild; Walter A Wohlgemuth; Astrid Petersmann; Maria J G T Vehreschild; NU(M)KRAINE Study Group

doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003

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, Vol. 17, No. 4, 04.2024, p. 642-649.

Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Brinkmann, F, Friedrichs, A, Behrens, GM, Behrens, P, Berner, R, Caliebe, A, Denkinger, CM, Giesbrecht, K, Gussew, A, Hoffmann, AT, Hojenski, L, Hovardovska, O, Dopfer-Jablonka, A, Kaasch, AJ, Kobbe, R, Kraus, M, Lindner, A, Maier, C, Mitrov, L, Nauck, M, de Miranda, SN, Scherer, M, Schmiedel, Y, Stahl, D, Timmesfeld, N, Toepfner, N, Vehreschild, J, Wohlgemuth, WA, Petersmann, A, Vehreschild, MJGT & NU(M)KRAINE Study Group 2024, '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)', J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 642-649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003

APA

Brinkmann, F., Friedrichs, A., Behrens, G. M., Behrens, P., Berner, R., Caliebe, A., Denkinger, C. M., Giesbrecht, K., Gussew, A., Hoffmann, A. T., Hojenski, L., Hovardovska, O., Dopfer-Jablonka, A., Kaasch, A. J., Kobbe, R., Kraus, M., Lindner, A., Maier, C., Mitrov, L., ... NU(M)KRAINE Study Group (2024). 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). J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL, 17(4), 642-649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003

Vancouver

Brinkmann F, Friedrichs A, Behrens GM, Behrens P, Berner R, Caliebe A et al. 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). J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL. 2024 Apr;17(4):642-649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003

Bibtex

@article{28eacdfd14fa4a4ea56ef4d714440f7e,

title = "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)",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Adult, Child, Adolescent, Female, Humans, Male, Refugees, Cross-Sectional Studies, Prevalence, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Universities, Germany/epidemiology, Communicable Diseases/epidemiology, Tuberculosis/epidemiology, Eastern European People",

author = "Folke Brinkmann and Anette Friedrichs and Behrens, {Georg Mn} and Pia Behrens and Reinhard Berner and Amke Caliebe and Denkinger, {Claudia M} and Katharina Giesbrecht and Alexander Gussew and Hoffmann, {Anna Theresa} and Leonhard Hojenski and Olga Hovardovska and Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka and Kaasch, {Achim J} and Robin Kobbe and Monika Kraus and Andreas Lindner and Christoph Maier and Lazar Mitrov and Matthias Nauck and {de Miranda}, {Susana Nunes} and Margarete Scherer and Yvonne Schmiedel and Dana Stahl and Nina Timmesfeld and Nicole Toepfner and Janne Vehreschild and Wohlgemuth, {Walter A} and Astrid Petersmann and Vehreschild, {Maria J G T} and {NU(M)KRAINE Study Group} and Addo, {Marylyn Martina} and Maher Almahfoud",

year = "2024",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "642--649",

journal = "J INFECT PUBLIC HEAL",

issn = "1876-0341",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

number = "4",

}

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

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 -