The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among migrant female patients in Italy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among migrant women incoming to Italy. METHODS: A single-center, prospective, observational study was conducted of migrant women who had attended an outpatient clinic in Messina, Italy, between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2013. Participants underwent a gynecologic examination and a cervical smear test. Patients who showed cytologic alterations underwent human papillomavirus (HPV) typing by PCR and allele-specific hybridization. Routine tests for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, and syphilis were done for pregnant participants. RESULTS: Overall, 724 women were enrolled, of whom 320 (44.2%) were pregnant. The mean ± SD age was 33.1 ± 9.8 years. Cytologic abnormalities were recorded for 76 (10.5%) participants. Among 46 who attended a follow-up clinic, 32 (69.6%) tested positive for HPV serotypes. Among the pregnant women, 9 (2.8%) had HBV infection, 3 (0.9%) had HCV infection, and 1 (0.3%) had HIV infection. No cases of syphilis were recorded. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of STIs among migrant women in Messina is similar to that among nonmigrants.