[Imported Schistosomiasis among unaccompanied minor migrants in Nice (France)]

The prevalence of imported schistosomiasis among unaccompanied minor migrants (UMMs) in France is not well understood.

From December 2023 to February 2024, we screened UMMs for schistosomiasis, in addition to tuberculosis screening, at our Alpes-Maritimes Tuberculosis Control Center. We offered serological screening (Western Blot) to all UMMs from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). If the result was positive, we offered a parasitological examination of urine and stool samples.

During these three months, we screened 187 UMMs from SSA. Serology was positive for 116 of them (62%). The median age was 16 years, and the sex ratio (male to female) was 6.9. Parasitological tests were performed on 58 (50%) of the 116 UMMs with positive serology results. Schistosome eggs were found in 24 of them. Fourteen UMMs had Schistosoma mansoni eggs in their stools, nine had S. haematobium eggs in their urine, and one had both S. mansoni and S. haematobium. Five UMMs had hematuria (due to S. haematobium) at the time of the study. The prevalence of schistosomiasis was at least 12.5% (24 out of 187).

Schistosomiasis is common among UMMs, with asymptomatic cases being the most prevalent.