COVID-19 epidemic in the US-A gateway to screen for tuberculosis, HIV, viral hepatitides, Chagas disease, and other neglected tropical diseases among Hispanics

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 14; no. 12; p. e0008953
• Main Authors: Schultz, Jonathan, Hyson, Peter, Chastain, Daniel B, Gharamti, Amal A, Franco-Paredes, Carlos, Henao-Martínez, Andrés F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01-12-2020; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Chagas disease; Chagas Disease - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Demographic aspects; Disease control; Epidemics; Forecasts and trends; Health aspects; Health care disparities; Health risks; Hepatitis - epidemiology; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic or Latino; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immigrants; Indigenous peoples; Infections; Influence; Medical screening; Medicine and Health Sciences; Minority & ethnic groups; Native Americans; Neglected Diseases - epidemiology; People and Places; Public health; SARS-CoV-2; Tropical climate; Tropical diseases; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - epidemiology; United States; United States - epidemiology; Vector-borne diseases; Viewpoints; Viral diseases; Womens health; United States; United States > US; Latin America
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008953

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) racial and ethnic analyses have shown rates of COVID-19–associated hospitalizations—per 100,000 people—are 1.8, 1.7, and 1.4 -fold higher among Native Americans, African Americans/Blacks, and Hispanics, respectively, compared to non-Hispanic Caucasians, despite widespread underreporting [3]. According to the CDC, Hispanics accounted for 26% of new HIV infections in 2017, an increase from 20% in 2009, despite representing only 16.7% of the US population. Around 300,000 people or more live with Chagas disease in the US. Since the infection is only endemic in Latin America, Hispanic/Latin immigrants or descendants from infected Hispanic mothers are at risk of infection. [...]European models have shown that screening for Chagas disease among asymptomatic Latin Americans living in Europe is cost-effective [15,16].