Argentina infectious diseases

Key messages for primary care practitioners

Patients should be offered and recommended an HIV test if they are newly registering in a high prevalence PCT or fall into a high risk group.
Take a sexual history and screen for STIs and HIV as appropriate.
This country has an intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B. Consider screening for hepatitis B, particularly among those who have recently arrived.
There is a risk of typhoid infection in this country.
There is a risk of chronic Chagas disease in migrants from this country. Primary care practitioners should be alert for possible cases and refer as appropriate.
Ensure all patients are up to date with the UK immunisation schedule.
Ask opportunistically about any travel plans that the patient may have to visit friends and relatives in their country of origin and arrange for appropriate travel advice - see NaTHNaC [external link].
For information about specific infectious diseases please see health topics.

There is a low incidence of TB in this country (less than 40 cases/100,000).
Routine screening is not required but testing should be considered in patients who show signs and symptoms of TB.
TB is a notifiable disease.
Please see TB page for further information.

This country has a low rate of HIV.
Test all sexually active patients under the age of 25 for chlamydia.
Take a sexual history and screen for STIs and HIV according to risk as specified in the UK national standards for the management of STIs and HIV.

This country has an intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B.
Consider screening for hepatitis B, particularly among those who have recently arrived.
All pregnant women should be offered screening for hepatitis B infection during each pregnancy.
Babies born to mothers who are hepatitis B positive should be appropriately immunised and followed-up accordingly.
The UK has a selective immunisation programme for hepatitis B; please see the Immunisation against Infectious Disease (Green Book) [external link] for further guidance.
Please see hepatitis B page for further information.

There is a low risk of malaria in some areas of this country predominantly due to P. vivax.
Information on which areas of this country are affected is available from NaTHNaC [external link].
Any unwell patient with a history of arrival from or a visit to affected areas of this country in the last year must be tested for malaria.
For travellers returning to this country (e.g. to visit friends and relatives), provide appropriate travel advice as recommended by NaTHNaC [external link] for this country.
Please see malaria page for further information.

There is a risk of typhoid infection in this country.
Ensure that travellers to this country are offered typhoid immunisation and advice on prevention of enteric fevers.
Remember enteric fever in the differential diagnosis of illness in patients with a recent history of travel to or from this country.
Please see enteric fever page for further information.

There is a risk of helminth infections including soil transmitted helminthiasis in this country.
Please see helminths page for further information.

There is a risk of chronic Chagas disease in migrants from this country.
Primary care practitioners should be alert for possible cases and refer as appropriate.
Please see Chagas disease page for further information.