Clinical assessment is a neglected component of outbreak preparedness: evidence from refugee camps in Greece.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Refugees may have an increased vulnerability to infectious diseases, and the consequences of an outbreak are more severe in a refugee camp. When an outbreak is suspected, access to clinical information is critical for investigators to verify that an outbreak is occurring, to determine the cause and to select interventions to control it. Experience from previous outbreaks suggests that the accuracy and completeness of this information is poor. This study is the first to assess the adequacy of clinical characterisation of acute medical illnesses in refugee camps. The objective is to direct improvements in outbreak identification and management in this vulnerable setting.

Methods

We collected prospective data in 13 refugee camps in Greece. We passively observed consu

SUBMITTER: Rojek AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5858141 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature