Pattern of infections in French and migrant homeless hospitalised at Marseille infectious disease units, France: A retrospective study, 2017–2018

No research has been conducted on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of homeless patients (HP) hospitalized in Infectious Disease Units (IDU). We conducted a retrospective survey among 98 HP and 98 non-HP admitted between 2017 and 2018 in several IDUs in Marseille, France. HP were more likely to be migrant, to report frequent alcohol consumption or illicit drug use, and to present with respiratory symptoms at admission compared to controls. The most common final diagnoses in HP were respiratory tract infections (other than pulmonary tuberculosis [PTB], 35.7%), sexually transmitted infections (20.4%), cutaneous and mucosal infections (19.4%) and tuberculosis (12.2%). Sexually transmitted infections and ectoparasite infestations were significantly more frequent in HP compared to controls. One HP died from pleural effusion as a complication of PTB. The surviving HP had a longer length of stay (LOS, average 11.6 ± 13.6 days, p