Characterization of chronic hepatitis B cases among foreign-born persons in six population-based surveillance sites, United States 2001-2010

J Immigr Minor Health. 2015 Feb;17(1):7-12. doi: 10.1007/s10903-014-0012-0.

Abstract

National surveys indicate prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among foreign-born persons in the USA is 5.6 times higher than US-born. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded chronic hepatitis B surveillance in Emerging Infections Program sites. A case was any chronic hepatitis B case reported to participating sites from 2001 to 2010. Sites collected standardized demographic data on all cases. We tested differences between foreign- and US-born cases by age, sex, and pregnancy using Chi square tests. We examined trends by birth country during 2005-2010. Of 36,008 cases, 21,355 (59.3%) reported birth in a country outside the USA, 2,323 (6.5%) were US-born. Compared with US-born, foreign-born persons were 9.2 times more frequent among chronic hepatitis B cases. Foreign-born were more frequently female, younger, ever pregnant, and born in China. Percentages of cases among foreign-born persons were constant during 2005-2010. Our findings support information from US surveillance for Hepatitis B screening and vaccination efforts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Emigrants and Immigrants*
  • Female
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Prevalence
  • United States / epidemiology