Sexually Transmitted Infections in Newly Arrived Refugees: Is Routine Screening for Neisseria gonorrheae and Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Indicated?

William M. Stauffer Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Global Migrations and Quarantine, and National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Search for other papers by William M. Stauffer in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
John Painter Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Global Migrations and Quarantine, and National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Search for other papers by John Painter in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Blain Mamo Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Global Migrations and Quarantine, and National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Search for other papers by Blain Mamo in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Robyn Kaiser Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Global Migrations and Quarantine, and National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Search for other papers by Robyn Kaiser in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Michelle Weinberg Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Global Migrations and Quarantine, and National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Search for other papers by Michelle Weinberg in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Stuart Berman Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Global Migrations and Quarantine, and National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Search for other papers by Stuart Berman in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0527
Volume/Issue:
Volume 86: Issue 2
Page(s):
292–295
Restricted access
Get Permissions

More than 340 million cases of bacterial and protozoal sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur annually. Approximately 70,000 refugees arrive in the United States on a yearly basis. Refugees are a particularly disenfranchised and vulnerable population. The prevalence of Chlamydia and gonorrhea in refugee populations has not been described, and the utility of routine screening is unknown. We performed a descriptive evaluation of 25,779 refugees who completed a screening medical examination in Minnesota during 2003–2010. A total of 18,516 (72%) refugees were tested for at least one STI: 183 (1.1%) of 17,235 were seropositive for syphilis, 15 (0.6%) of 2,512 were positive for Chlamydia, 5 (0.2%) of 2,403 were positive for gonorrhea, 136 (2.0%) of 6,765 were positive for human immunodeficiency virus, and 6 (0.1%) of 5,873 were positive for multiple STIs. Overall prevalence of Chlamydia (0.6%) and gonorrhea (0.2%) infection was low, which indicated that routine screening may not be indicated. However, further research on this subject is encouraged.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to William M. Stauffer, Department of Medicine Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, Mayo D407, MMC 250, Minneapolis, MN 55455. E-mail: stauf005@umn.edu

Authors' addresses: William M. Stauffer and Robyn Kaiser, Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, E-mails: stauf005@umn.edu and kaise122@umn.edu. John Painter and Michelle Weinberg, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, E-mails: bzp3@cdc.gov and mweinberg@cdc.gov. Blain Mamo, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, Minnesota Department of Health, 625 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN, E-mail: blain.mamo@state.mn.us. Stuart Berman, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, E-mail: mb1@cdc.gov.

Copyright:
©The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2012
Received:
15 Aug 2011
|
Accepted:
08 Nov 2011
|
Published Online:
01 Feb 2012
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
  • 1.

    World Health Organization, 2007. Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections 2006–2015: Breaking the Chain of Transmission. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241563475_eng.pdf. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 2.

    United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Geneva, Switzerland. Statistical Yearbook 2007: Trends in Displacement, Protection, and Solutions. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c4d6.html. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 3.

    United States Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Refugee Resettlement – Refugee Arrival Data. FY 2000–2009. Available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/data/refugee_arrival_data.htm. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 4.

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Revision of 42 CFR Part 34 (Medical Examination of Aliens) Removal of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from Definition of Communicable Disease of Public Health Significance – Final Rule. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/laws-regs/hiv-ban-removal/final-rule.html. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 5.

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical Examination of Immigrants and Refugees – Technical Instructions for Panel Physicians. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/panel/technical-instructions-panel-physicians.html. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 6.

    Workowski KA, Berman S, 2010. Sexually transmitted disease treatment guidelines. Morb Mort Wkly Rep 15: 1– 110.

  • 7.

    Minnesota Department of Health. Minnesota Refugee Health Provider Guide 2007. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Available at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/refugee/hcp/index.html. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8.

    Minnesota Department of Health. Electronic System for the Health Assessment of Refugees (eShare). Available at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/refugee/hcp/eshare.htm. Accessed February 3, 2011.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9.

    Datta SD, Sternberg M, Johnson RE, Berman S, Papp JR, McQuillan G, Weinstock H, 2007. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in the United States among persons 14 to 39 years of age, 1999 to 2002. Ann Intern Med 147: 89–96.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10.

    United States Preventative Services Task Force, 2007. Screening for chlamydial infection: recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 147: 128–134.

  • 11.

    United States Preventive Services Task Force, 2005. Screening for gonorrhea: recommendation statement. Ann Fam Med 3: 263–267.

Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 1294 1101 48
Full Text Views 1612 12 0
PDF Downloads 144 13 0
 

 

 

 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save