ArticleEClinicalMedicine2025
Community-based testing of migrants for infectious diseases (COMBAT-ID): observational cohort study measuring the effectiveness of routine testing for infectious diseases among migrants attending primary care.
Article in EClinicalMedicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prevalence and risk factors for key infectious diseases amongst migrants to the UK: a systematic review.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Pooled it
- Promoting migrant health as a universal right in the United Kingdom.BMC global and public health · 2026Review
- Article
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Authors and funding
20 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Migrants are at increased risk of chronic infections and have poorer outcomes, being more likely to present late. Early diagnosis and management can reduce morbidity, mortality and onward infection transmission. Methods: We evaluated the effectiveness of an integrated approach to screening migrants for exposure to tuberculosis (TB) with an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) test, HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV, using hepatitis B surface antigen testing) and hepatitis C virus (HCV, using antibody testing with confirmatory PCR test) infection when patients first registered with general practices (GPs) in Leicester, UK, using test yields (test positivity rates), numbers of new diagnoses and numbers linked to care. Findings: Of 4004 migrant GP patients referred for testing 2016-2019, test yields were 0.48% (17/3545, 95% CI 0.30-0.77%, HIV), 3.34% (117/3502, 95% CI 2.80-3.99%, HBV), 0.18% (6/3402, 95% CI 0.08-0.38%, HCV) and 19.38% (496/2560, 95% CI 17.89-20.95%, IGRA). Of IGRA-positive patients attending clinic, 7% (31/437) had active TB and 92% (403/437) had latent TB infection. Seventeen (55%) active TB, 397 (99%) latent TB, 71 (61%) HBV, six (35%) HIV and five (83%) HCV infections were new diagnoses. There were high rates of linkage to care for those newly diagnosed. 98% (390/397) of new latent TB patients were offered chemoprophylaxis, of whom 94% (366/390) started treatment and of these, 95% (346/366) completed the course. 100% (6/6), 97% (69/71) and 100% (5/5) of newly HIV-, HBV- and HCV-diagnosed patients attended follow-up, respectively. Interpretation: This first primary care-based combined infection testing programme for recent migrants found high test yields for latent/active TB, HBV and HIV, substantial numbers of new diagnoses for these infections and excellent linkage to care. To influence UK screening guidelines, its cost-effectiveness and acceptability to other primary care settings must be evaluated. Funding: NIHR, Gilead Sciences.
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