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01-07-2016 | LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Screening for infectious diseases among unaccompanied minor refugees in Berlin, 2014–2015

Authors: Stefanie Theuring, Barbara Friedrich-Jänicke, Kirsten Pörtner, Isabel Trebesch, Anita Durst, Sebastian Dieckmann, Florian Steiner, Gundel Harms, Frank P. Mockenhaupt

Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Issue 7/2016

Abstract

Infectious diseases (except tuberculosis) were screened among 1248 unaccompanied minor refugees (UMRs) arriving in Berlin in 2014–2015; 40 % originated from Syria. More than half of the refugees presented without any pathologic finding. Infections requiring treatment were diagnosed in 19.6 %, mainly infections with Giardia and intestinal helminths as well as schistosomiasis, while potentially contagious diseases were diagnosed in 15.3 % of all screened UMRs.

Grouping by country of birth: Syria, 500; Afghanistan, 164; North Africa (Algeria, 5; Libya, 10; Morocco, 33); Sub-Saharan Africa (Angola, 1; Benin, 16; Burkina Faso, 2; Cameroon, 1; Chad, 4; Congo, 4; DR Congo, 2; Cote d´Ivoire, 1; Eritrea, 16; Ethiopia, 1; Gambia, 35; Ghana, 3; Guinea, 53; Guinea-Bissau, 5; Kenya, 6; Mali, 9; Mauritania, 1; Nigeria, 4; Senegal, 2; Sierra Leone, 2; Somalia, 26); Middle East except Syria (Egypt, 11; Iran, 22; Iraq, 19; Kuwait, 2; Lebanon, 51; Palestinian territories, 9; Saudi Arabia, 1; Turkey, 10); Southeast Europe (Albania, 42; Bosnia, 2; Greece (Albanian), 1; Kosovo, 6; Serbia, 5); East Europe (Belarus, 3; Moldova, 4; Romania (Armenian), 1; Russian Federation, 37; Ukraine, 5); South and Southeast Asia (Bangladesh, 16; Cambodia, 5; India, 9; Pakistan, 24; Sri Lanka, 1; Viet Nam, 40); Other (Armenia, 2; Colombia, 4; Turkmenistan, 2).

United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Global trends. Forced displacements in 2015. http://www.unhcr.org/576408cd7. Accessed 22 June 2016.

Bundesfachverband unbegleitete minderjährige Flüchtlinge (BumF). Zahlen zu unbegleiteten minderjährigen Flüchtlingen: Bestand, Verteilung, Quotenerfüllung und Elternnachzug. Pressemitteilung 29.01.2016. http://www.b-umf.de/images/150129_PM_AktuelleZahlenUMF.pdf. Accessed 22 June 2016.

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Landesjugendämter. Handlungsempfehlungen zum Umgang mit unbegleiteten minderjährigen Flüchtlingen. Inobhutnahme, Clearingverfahren und Einleitung von Anschlussmaßnahmen. 2014. http://www.bagljae.de/downloads/118_handlungsempfehlungen-umf_2014.pdf. Accessed 5 April 2016.

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Title: Screening for infectious diseases among unaccompanied minor refugees in Berlin, 2014–2015
Authors: Stefanie Theuring
Barbara Friedrich-Jänicke
Kirsten Pörtner
Isabel Trebesch
Anita Durst
Sebastian Dieckmann
Florian Steiner
Gundel Harms
Frank P. Mockenhaupt
Publication date: 01-07-2016
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology / Issue 7/2016
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-016-0187-x

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Screening for infectious diseases among unaccompanied minor refugees in Berlin, 2014–2015

Abstract

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