Dataset Information

Dermatoses among returned Canadian travellers and immigrants: surveillance report based on CanTravNet data, 2009-2012.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is a lack of multicentre analyses of the spectrum of dermatologic illnesses acquired by Canadian travellers and immigrants. Our objective for this study was to provide a comprehensive, Canada-specific surveillance summary of travel-related dermatologic conditions in a cohort of returned Canadian travellers and immigrants.

Methods

Data for Canadian travellers and immigrants with a primary dermatologic diagnosis presenting to CanTravNet sites between September 2009 and September 2012 were extracted and analyzed. Data were collected using the GeoSentinel data platform. This network comprises 56 specialized travel and tropical medicine clinics, including 6 Canadian sites (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal), that contribute anonymous, de-linked, clinician- and questionnaire-based travel surveillance data on all ill travellers examined to a centralized Structure Query Language database. Results were analyzed according to reason for most recent ravel: immigration (including refugee); tourism; business; missionary/volunteer/research and aid work; visiting friends and relatives; and other, which included students, military personnel and medical tourists.

Results

During the study period, 6639 patients presented to CanTravNet sites across Canada and 1076 (16.2%) received a travel-related primary dermatologic diagnosis. Arthropod bites (n = 162, 21.5%), rash (n = 141, 18.7%), cutaneous larva migrans (n = 98, 13.0%), and skin and soft tissue infection (n = 92, 12.2%) were the most common dermatologic diagnoses or diagnostic bundles issued to returning Canadian tourists (n = 754, 70.1% of total sample). Patients travelling for the purpose of immigration (n = 63, 5.9%) were significantly more likely to require inpatient management of their dermatologic diagnoses (p < 0.001) than those travelling for other purposes.

Interpretation

This analysis of surveillance data details the spectrum of travel-related dermatological conditions among returning Canadian travellers in this cohort, and provides an epidemiologic framework for Canadian physicians encountering these patients.

SUBMITTER: Stevens MS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4382030 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Dermatoses among returned Canadian travellers and immigrants: surveillance report based on CanTravNet data, 2009-2012.

Stevens Michael S MS Geduld Jennifer J Libman Michael M Ward Brian J BJ McCarthy Anne E AE Vincelette Jean J Ghesquiere Wayne W Hajek Jan J Kuhn Susan S Freedman David O DO Kain Kevin C KC Boggild Andrea K AK

CMAJ open 20150113 1

<h4>Background</h4>There is a lack of multicentre analyses of the spectrum of dermatologic illnesses acquired by Canadian travellers and immigrants. Our objective for this study was to provide a comprehensive, Canada-specific surveillance summary of travel-related dermatologic conditions in a cohort of returned Canadian travellers and immigrants.<h4>Methods</h4>Data for Canadian travellers and immigrants with a primary dermatologic diagnosis presenting to CanTravNet sites between September 2009 ...[more]

PMID: 25844364

Similar Datasets

Project description:Malaria remains the most common specific cause of fever in returned travellers and can be life-threatening. We examined demographic and travel correlates of malaria among Canadian travellers and immigrants to identify groups for targeted pretravel intervention.Descriptive data on ill returned Canadian travellers and immigrants presenting to a CanTravNet site between 2004 and 2014 with a diagnosis of malaria were analyzed. Data were collected using the GeoSentinel data platform. This network comprises 63 specialized travel and tropical medicine clinics, including 7 Canadian sites (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Montréal), that contribute anonymous, delinked, clinician- and questionnaire-based travel surveillance data on all ill travellers examined to a centralized Structure Query Language database.During the study period, 20?345 travellers and immigrants were evaluated, and 93% had a travel-related diagnosis. Of these, 437 (2.1%) patients received 456 malaria diagnoses, the most common species being Plasmodium falciparum (n = 282, 61.8%). People travelling to visit friends and relatives were most well-represented (n = 169, 38.7%), followed by business travellers (n = 71, 16.2%). Sub-Saharan Africa was the most common source region, accounting for 341 (74.8%) malaria diagnoses, followed by South Central Asia (n = 55, 12%). Nigeria was the most well-represented source country, accounting for 41 cases (9.0%). India, a high-volume destination for Canadians, accounted for 40 cases (8.8%), 36 of which were caused by Plasmodium vivax. Of 456 malaria diagnoses, 26 (5.7%) were severe. Of 377 nonimmigrant travellers with malaria, 19.9% (n = 75) travelled for less than 2 weeks, and 7.2% (n = 27) travelled for less than 1 week.This analysis provides an epidemiologic framework for Canadian practitioners encountering prospective and returned travellers. It confirms the importance of preventive measures and surveillance associated with travel to sub-Saharan Africa and India, particularly by travellers visiting friends or relatives. Short-duration travel confers important malaria risk.

Dataset Information

Dermatoses among returned Canadian travellers and immigrants: surveillance report based on CanTravNet data, 2009-2012.

Background

Methods

Results

Interpretation

Publications

Dermatoses among returned Canadian travellers and immigrants: surveillance report based on CanTravNet data, 2009-2012.

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