{
  "abstract": "Systematic screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI), beyond serology, is not standard in arrival protocols for unaccompanied migrant minors (UMM). In 2020, our center incorporated urine-based nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT)-based screening into the existing serology-based protocol (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B/C), and we describe the additional diagnoses of STI identified through NAAT. We conducted a retrospective observational descriptive study (2020–2025) of 226 UMM (99.6% male) in Madrid undergoing serological screening for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, with additional urine-based multiplex PCR (NAAT) screening for STI. Urine-based NAAT, performed in 163/226 participants (72.1%), identified six positive cases (3.7%, 95% CI 1.4–7.8%) of C. trachomatis, M. genitalium, or Ureaplasma spp. Of these, four patients (2.5%, 95% CI 0.7–6.2%) had actionable infections that were treated. Serology identified no HIV (0/218) or hepatitis C cases (0/212), one syphilis case (0.5%, 95% CI 0.0–2.6%, 1/209), and three chronic hepatitis B cases (1.4%, 95% CI 0.3–3.9%, 3/221). None of the cases had symptoms recorded.\n\nConclusion: Urine NAAT identified six infections (four actionable) not detectable by serology. However, three of eight patients with actionable infections were lost to follow-up, highlighting that the benefit of systematic screening depends on strengthening linkage-to-care alongside testing. What is Known:\n\n• Serological screening (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B/C) is standard in arrival health assessments for unaccompanied migrant minors, but systematic STI screening beyond serology is not routinely protocoled.\n\n• Systematic screening is especially valuable in this population, as follow-up is often limited by care fragmentation and transfers between reception centers.\n\nWhat is New:\n\n• Urine-based NAAT screening identified additional STI in patients with no symptoms recorded, that were not detectable by serology alone.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Pediatric, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, La Paz University Hospital, La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ), Paseo de La Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain",
    "Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain",
    "Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain",
    "Clinical Microbiology Department, La Paz University Hospital, La Paz Research Institute (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Sonia Milkova-Ivanova"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Isabel Mellado-Sola"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Blanca Bravo-Queipo-de-Llano",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8432-0703"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Paula Rodríguez-Molino"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Carlos Grasa"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Milagros García-López-Hortelano"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Inmaculada Quiles-Melero"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mario David Ruiz-Bastián"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Alfredo Maldonado-Barrueco"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Cristina Calvo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Talía Sainz"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/by82xh1r2xvpq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1007/s00431-026-07549-3",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13696603/",
  "id": "by82xh1r2xvpq",
  "issns": [
    "0340-6199",
    "1432-1076"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-026-07549-3",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Brief Report"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2404|Reproductive tract infections research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223566279",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13696603?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13696603",
  "pmid": "42928391",
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/by82xh1r2xvpq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13696603",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-026-07549-3"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:18Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42928391",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928391"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2404|Reproductive tract infections research",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Systematic STI screening in unaccompanied migrant minors: a 6-year experience with urine-based NAAT",
  "title_text": "Systematic STI screening in unaccompanied migrant minors: a 6-year experience with urine-based NAAT",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:33:55Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/by82xh1r2xvpq",
  "venue": "European Journal of Pediatrics",
  "versions": []
}