Community-based testing of migrants for infectious diseases (COMBAT-ID): observational cohort study measuring the effectiveness of routine testing for infectious diseases among migrants attending primary care.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Migrants are at increased risk of chronic infections and have poorer outcomes, being more likely to present late. Early diagnosis and management can reduce morbidity, mortality and onward infection transmission.

Methods

We evaluated the effectiveness of an integrated approach to screening migrants for exposure to tuberculosis (TB) with an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) test, HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV, using hepatitis B surface antigen testing) and hepatitis C virus (HCV, using antibody testing with confirmatory PCR test) infection when patients first registered with general practices (GPs) in Leicester, UK, using test yields (test positivity rates), numbers of new diagnoses and numbers linked to care.

Findings

Of 4004 migrant GP patients referred f

SUBMITTER: Baggaley RF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12273839 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature