Migrants account for bulk of TB, HIV and malaria cases in the UK

Nov 15 2006

According to a report by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in Britain, migrants are far more likely to have HIV, TB or malaria than the rest of the population.

The report says migrants account for as much as 70% of TB, HIV and malaria cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Although the HPA says this is "disproportionate burden", it also says the number only represents a small number of people not born in the UK.

This is the HPA's first report on migrant health, which has found the majority of TB, HIV and malaria cases which occur are found in people not born in the UK.

The report also says it found little evidence to suggest the general population was being placed at increased risk.

The Department of Health has said the report would be a "valuable tool" in planning services to meet the needs of different migrant groups.

Current government figures estimate that as many as 1,500 migrants arrive every day to live in the UK and most migrants do not have these diseases.

In 2001 says the report, 7.53% of people living in the British Isles were migrants, the majority coming from Europe, South Asia and Africa.

It is thought migrants are more likely to carry these diseases because they often come from parts of the world where the infections are more common, and were either infected before they came to the UK, or infected on visits to their country of origin.

The HPA report also says it is possible migrants contract such diseases after they arrive in the UK, because of close contact with other migrants or by links to countries where the diseases were endemic.

The HPA has suggested a range of recommendations to improve migrant health, including increased diseases surveillance, primary care support, such as language and cultural support, and raising awareness.

Professor Pat Troop, chief executive of the HPA, says the agency was considering whether the screening of migrants on arrival would be an effective measure.