[Globalization: challenges in abdominal surgery for migrants and refugees].

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Surgical Pathology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Migration and international travel are increasing the incidence of tropical and subtropical diseases in non-endemic regions.
• Low hygiene standards in countries of origin or refugee camps contribute to a higher prevalence of infectious diseases.
• Many of these diseases were historically common but have been eradicated in developed countries due to improved socioeconomic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To inform surgeons about specific abdominal diseases prevalent in patients' countries of origin.
• To highlight diseases likely to be diagnosed with increasing frequency in Germany due to migration.
• To emphasize the importance of considering these conditions in the differential diagnosis of abdominal symptoms in migrants.

Main Methods:

• This is a review article, synthesizing existing knowledge on endemic abdominal diseases in migrant populations.
• It focuses on conditions requiring surgical intervention or mimicking surgical emergencies.
• The review draws upon the understanding of disease prevalence in endemic regions versus their incidence in Germany.

Main Results:

• Infections like helminthiasis, typhoid fever, and amoebiasis can lead to surgical emergencies.
• Surgically relevant conditions include echinococcosis and Chagas disease.
• Schistosomiasis may present as intestinal cancer, and abdominal tuberculosis causes diagnostic challenges.
• Sigmoid volvulus, rare in Europeans, is a common surgical condition in endemic areas.

Conclusions:

• Surgeons in Germany must be aware of and consider these endemic diseases in refugees and migrants presenting with abdominal symptoms.
• Early recognition and appropriate differential diagnosis are crucial for managing these conditions.
• While the number of surgeries for these specific diseases may be low, awareness prevents misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.