High burden of asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections among recently arrived African migrants in Spain: a prospective screening study

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a major global public health concern, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations such as migrants.1 2 Individuals arriving from sub-Saharan Africa often face a convergence of risk factors, including higher endemicity of infections in their countries of origin, limited access to healthcare and structural barriers after migration.3 4 In Spain, available data indicate higher prevalences of HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other STIs among migrants compared with the native population, yet prospective studies combining molecular and serological screening in asymptomatic individuals remain scarce.5 6

We conducted a prospective screening study between January 2023 and September 2025, including 210 asymptomatic adult migrants from Africa attending three hospitals in Spain. Most individuals attended the clinic for reasons unrelated to STIs, including general infectious disease evaluation, migrant health assessment or other medical conditions. The study protocol was approved…

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