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Communicable disease in African immigrants in Minneapolis
1Department of Medical Education, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, Minn 55407, USA. adair001@tc.umn.edu
Background:
Despite increasing numbers of African immigrants to the United States, there is a lack of detailed information about their health problems.
Methods:
Data on communicable diseases were obtained from the charts of all 102 patients who had emigrated from Africa in the last 5 years and were seen at an urban clinic in Minneapolis, Minn, during the last 7 months of 1997.
Results:
Eight patients had active tuberculosis, 10 had hepatitis B, 7 trichuriasis, 2 amebiasis, 1 schistosomiasis, 1 ascariasis, 2 human immunodeficiency virus infection, and 1 malaria. All patients tested had antibodies to hepatitis A, 55% to hepatitis B, and 3% to hepatitis C. Characteristics of these patients are described.
Conclusions:
Communicable diseases are common in African immigrants, often despite a healthy appearance and prolonged residence in the United States. Careful screening is warranted.