INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

The epidemiology and policy implications of communicable disease (CD) transmission associated with international migration have received little systematic study. This is a review of clinical and epidemiological reports in search of strategies to assess and manage the impact of international migration on the transmission of CDs. The economics and demography of migration from less developed to industrialized nations is considered. Migration-related transmission should differentiate between actual transmission as opposed to geographic relocation of disease. Limitations of current screening and disease prevention strategies are discussed. Social and ecological processes through which migration can contribute to increased CD transmission are described, including placement in refugee camps, unclear legal status of migrants in recipient nations, and temporary return migration. Strategies for non-discriminatory and non-punitive control of migration-related CDs, needed changes in clinical practice, and complexities presented by CDs of long latency (such as HIV infection) are reviewed.