Frequency and Characteristics of Infectious Diseases in Internationally Adopted Children: A Retrospective Study in Nantes From 2010 to 2012

Abstract

The frequency of infectious diseases, and sometimes severe diseases, found among our cohort of internationally adopted children highlights the need for systematic, specialized medical care.

Infectious diseases prevalence, vaccination coverage, and diagnostic challenges in a population of internationally adopted children referred to a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital from 2009 to 2015

“…Most of them reside in orphanages, where they may experience malnutrition, emotional and physical neglect, environmental deprivation, and where they have been susceptible to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), chronic viral diseases, and parasitic infections. [2–9] Moreover, internationally adopted children (IAC) have often experienced pre- and peri-natal complications, such as exposure to drugs and alcohol during gestation, absence of peri-natal care, low birth weight, and prematurity. [2–9] Although children are declared healthy in their home countries, medical disorders are often missed or diagnosed after adoption: medical preadoption information can be incomplete, wrongly translated and/or discordant.…”

“…[2–9] Moreover, internationally adopted children (IAC) have often experienced pre- and peri-natal complications, such as exposure to drugs and alcohol during gestation, absence of peri-natal care, low birth weight, and prematurity. [2–9] Although children are declared healthy in their home countries, medical disorders are often missed or diagnosed after adoption: medical preadoption information can be incomplete, wrongly translated and/or discordant. [2–9] Medical care is crucial upon the child's arrival into the country: international adoption medicine is growing for understanding and addressing the specific healthcare needs of these children after their arrival.…”

Discordances Between Serology and Culture for Strongyloides in an Ethiopian Adopted Child With Multiple Parasitic Infections

“…2 Integrated protocol including screening for HAV and HBV, 6,7 HIV infection, syphilis, and latent TB infection is applied in most of the countries. So, majority of studies on IAs are mainly addressed to know their serological status of preventable infectious diseases 6–11 and to determine their vaccination immunological status.…”

“…Prevalence of S. stercoralis in Ethiopia has been studied in HIV-infected patients, 17 in patients with diarrhea, 18 in general population, 19 in children, 20 and in Ethiopian immigrants 21 showing values between 0.4% and 5.9%. Since these parasitic infections are commonly asymptomatic, all IAs should be screened for parasite infections with a potential capacity to produce severe diseases, as showed in the study by Hénaff et al, 2 where 8% of the cases presented with severe infections.…”

“…Where possible, IAs should be evaluated at a clinic or a center specializing in international adoption, as specialized expertise and a multidisciplinary approach are often required for optimal evaluation and care of these children. 1,2 Infections for which IAs are at higher risk and therefore require screening including viral hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), and C (HCV) virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), bacterial (syphilis and tuberculosis), and parasitic infections (stool helminths and protozoa). When the child has eosinophilia search for helminth infection is essential to obtain the diagnosis.…”