Abstract

HAYES-BAUTISTA, David E. et al. Hepatitis A: the burden among Latino children in California. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2005, vol.47, n.6, pp.396-401. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis A within subpopulations of southern California counties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Age and race/ethnic-specific hepatitis A rates were derived from the California Department of Health Services Surveillance and Statistics Section for 1996-2001 and from demographic data of the California Department of Finance. RESULTS: 2.3 million Latino children (aged 0-14 years) in five southern California counties had a rate of 31.1 cases per 100 000, five times higher than the non-Hispanic white rate. CONCLUSIONS: The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination for children with "very high" rates of hepatitis A. The annual prevalence of hepatitis A in California, especially in southern California, met the CDC's "very high" definition, therefore Latino children in these counties should be considered for routine childhood hepatitis A vaccination. As health has no borders, this issue should be addressed by the public health services of both, the United States' and Mexico's public health services.

Keywords : hepatitis A; vaccination; Latino; United States.

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