Hepatitis A in Hmong; Your Assistance Requested
Time-sensitive: Hepatitis A in Hmong; Your Assistance Requested
Since August 2004, three cases
of hepatitis A have been diagnosed in young children from separate Hmong
families who recently arrived from a refugee camp in Thailand. The first two
cases were clinically ill and initially seen in hospital emergency departments.
Upon receiving reports of those cases, the MDH alerted providers screening
these refugees, and recommended routine testing of all newly arrived Hmong
children from this camp. One
additional asymptomatic case was detected through this testing.
MDH has also provided information about this situation for host families of these new arrivals, including recommendations that susceptible persons receive hepatitis A vaccine. Host family members may be going to their regular health care provider to request hepatitis A vaccine for their family members, and/or to seek medical evaluation for someone who is ill.
MDH is therefore requesting your assistance in forwarding to all clinics in
your county the following:
-Hepatitis A in Hmong; Test Suspect Cases
-Got Your Shots Immunization Update regarding Hmong patients and hepatitis
A
Although these refugees are being screened in either Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey, or Washington Counties, they may move to other counties.
Please contact the Immunization, Tuberculosis, and International Health Section at MDH at 612-676-5414 if you have questions or concerns.
Please forward this information to health care providers in your jurisdiction.