Assessing enteric helminths in refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants
Sarah Hanieh A D , Norbert Ryan B and Beverley-Ann Biggs B CA Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Peter Doherty Institute for Immunity and Infection, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia
B Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Immunity and Infection, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia
C The Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia
D Corresponding author. Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Doherty Institute, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia, Tel: +61 3 8344 3257, Fax: +61 3 9347 1863, Email: shanieh@unimelb.edu.au
Microbiology Australia 37(1) 15-19 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA16006
Published: 29 February 2016
Abstract
Currently there are 59.5million people forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of conflict, human rights violations, generalised violence or persecution. Of these, 19.5million are refugees and 1.8million are asylum seekers. Each year Australia accepts 13750 refugees through the offshore Humanitarian program, and in 2016 that number will almost double with the addition of 12000 refugees from Syria and Iraq. Many refugees have complex medical needs and have reached Australia after a difficult journey, often involving time in refugee camps and exposure to traumatic events including physical hardship and illness. Refugees often come from parts of the world where parasitic and tropical infectious diseases are prevalent and untreated. This article provides a review of enteric helminth infections in refugees, including asylum seekers and those from a refugee-like background.
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