Screen or not to screen? 7 questions in prevention of infection from refugees and migrants

Introduction: The aim of this paper was to review the preventive strategies for screening of commonest infections in migrants. Germany, UK, France, Spain and Italy have highest numbers 25 mil migrants (31% of global migrant population ) 70% from EE and North Africa 1.9 million per year illegally, eg. Italy 250,000, Spain 200,000, Turkey 200,000/ Original Articles 17 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vol. 7 No. 3 2016 year. To protect the EU from TB, HIV, HB, RTI, and possibly malaria and vaccination preventable ID (RTD) we have to screen at least migrants and refugees. The question is about international travelers or internally displaced due to catastrophe, genocide or civil war, where similarly important as screening is the determination of vaccination status. Methods: Our and others experience on screening of migrants via the Mediterranean route versus Balkan route plus own experience from health posts in Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, Greece, Lebanon, Italy is presented. Results: Proposals for screening of ID are presented for health posts for HIV, HBV, HCV, TB, malaria as baseline for possible guidelines for migrants refugees screening. Conclusion: Screening of selected ID (TB, HIV, HW, HBV, Malaria) and vaccination status in migrants and refugees to EU from Africa is mandatory. Introduction: Seven (7) questions in Migrant Health: Who, why, what, when, where, and who will pay? • Who should be screened? Migrants, refugees, international travelers? Internally displaced? (Tab.1) • Why are we screening? To prevent the transmission of TB, HIV, HB, HCV etc. to EU • What do we screen? TB, HIV, Hepatitis B, C (Malaria? Helmints?) (Tab. 2) • When and how quick do we screen? On site or in quarantine + quick rapid diagnostic tests (Tab.3) • Where to be screened – compulsory in quarantine. Voluntary in open detection (Tab. 4) • Who will pay? WHO, EU, grants, UNHCR (Tab. 5)