Epidemiol Health.  2015;37:e2015002. 10.4178/epih/e2015002.

Major infectious diseases affecting the Afghan immigrant population of Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Pourhossein B
• Irani AD
• Mostafavi

• KMID: 2380639
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih/e2015002

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
As Afghans make up the largest group of foreign nationals in Iran, the aim of this study was to assess the proportion of Afghan immigrants among those afflicted by the most prevalent infectious diseases in Iran.
METHODS
National and international online scientific databases were searched through November 2013. The reference lists of included studies were also searched. All descriptive studies concerning the most common infectious diseases in Iran, including tuberculosis, multiple-drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, leishmaniasis, and hepatitis B were retrieved. The nationality of patients was not considered. The selection of studies and data extraction was performed separately by two authors. Results were reported using a random effect model with a 95% confidence interval (CI).
RESULTS
The overall proportion of Afghan immigrants with the aforementioned infectious diseases was 29% (95% CI, 21 to 37). According to a stratified analysis, the proportion of Afghan immigrants afflicted with tuberculosis was (29%), multiple-drug-resistant tuberculosis (56%), malaria (40%), cholera (8%), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (25%), leishmaniasis (7%), and hepatitis B (14%).
CONCLUSIONS
It is highly recommended to monitor the health status of the Afghan immigrants when entering Iran, to reduce the spread of communicable diseases, which are viewed as serious in international health regulations.

Keyword

Afghan; Immigrant; Infection; Health; Systematic review; Iran

MeSH Terms

Cholera
Communicable Diseases*
Emigrants and Immigrants*
Ethnic Groups
Fever
Hepatitis B
Humans
Iran*
Leishmaniasis
Malaria
Social Control, Formal
Tuberculosis