Varicella notification in immigrants: a brief report from Ferrara, Italy

Background and Aim of the work - We conducted a survey of varicella cases' notifications in the immigrant population in the province of Ferrara, Italy. Materials and Methods – We collected notifications of infectious disease between 2002 and 2006. Results and discussion - At the end of 2006, the 4.5% (14252 subjects) of total population of the province of Ferrara and its province was represented of immigrants from foreign countries. In this context, between 2002 and 2006, a total of 1969 cases of varicella, including 3.1% related to migrants, were reported. Among immigrants, there were 36 cases in males, and 26 in females. The cases were notified in the 64.5% by the hospital emergency service, in the 16.1% by the paediatrician and in 19.4% by the general practitioner. The incidence appears similar in both populations in childhood: this fact could means an integration in the local epidemiology for varicella of the immigrant school-children.