Detection of Polioviruses Type 2 among Migrant Children Arriving to the Russian Federation from a Country with a Registered Poliomyelitis Outbreak. | LitMetric
The widespread use of the oral poliovaccine from Sabin strains (tOPV) radically reduced poliomyelitis incidence worldwide. However, OPV became a source of neurovirulent vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs). Currently, circulating type 2 VDPVs (cVDPV2) are the leading cause of poliomyelitis. The novel OPV type 2 vaccine (nOPV2), based on genetically modified Sabin strain with increased genetic stability and reduced risk of cVDPV formation, has been used to combat cVDPV2 outbreaks, including one in Tajikistan in 2021. In order to identify the importation of cVDPV2 and nOPV2-derivates, stool samples from 12,127 healthy migrant children under 5 years of age arriving from Tajikistan were examined in Russia (March 2021-April 2022). Viruses were isolated in cell culture and identified via intratype differentiation RT-PCR, VP1 and whole-genome sequencing. cVDPV2 isolates closely related with the Tajikistan one were isolated from two children, and nOPV2-derived viruses were detected in specimens from 106 children from 37 regions of Russia. The duration of nOPV2 excretion ranged from 24 to 124 days post-vaccination. nOPV2 isolates contained 27 mutations per genome (0.36%) on average, with no critical genetic changes, which confirms the genetic stability of nOPV2 during field use. The possibility of epidemiologically significant poliovirus introduction into polio-free countries has been confirmed. The screening of special populations, including migrants, is required to maintain epidemiological well-being.
The Research Center for Women's, Family and Child Health, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway.
Background: Migrant women face an increased risk of poor obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Norway implemented a multicultural doula (MCD) program in 2018, which was designed to improve pregnancy care for this group in vulnerable circumstances. This study aimed to assess the impact of MCD support, provided in addition to standard care, on obstetric and neonatal outcomes for selected newly arrived migrants.
The current narrative of a "migration crisis" has so severely misdirected the understanding of the fundamental human safety, security, and health challenges that confront migrants, that we feel compelled to reframe the issue as a public health and humanitarian emergency. By looking at migrants as an economic threat or as an "invasion" that threatens the American way of life," it becomes difficult to view their humanity as vulnerable individuals who confront a host of challenges at the border, including abuse, dehumanization, and incarceration. The forced migration of thousands of individuals and families who flee their countries of origin to escape violence and insecurity to then be demonized and retraumatized at the border is a public health emergency.
Incomplete or interrupted vaccination schedules put migrant communities at higher risk for measles, which remains a serious public health concern. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the pooled seroprevalence of measles antibodies among migrant groups globally and offer data to guide public health initiatives. Our literature search included PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases, covering publications from 1990 to 2023, and was systematically refined using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Background: Senegal has made significant progress in reducing the burden of malaria, but transmission remains highly heterogeneous, with specific population subgroups likely at higher risk. Consultations with the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and a review of available data identified nomadic pastoralists, gold miners, and Koranic school students as potential high-risk populations (HRPs). This study aimed to evaluate whether these populations are at higher risk of malaria and better characterize their exposure patterns to inform the design of targeted intervention strategies.
