Hepatitis B soars in California's Hmong community

[JohnDoe2]

Hepatitis B soars in California's Hmong community

By The Associated Press
Monday, June 28, 2010 at 5:52 a.m.

MERCED, Calif. — While California's whooping cough epidemic makes headlines, health officials say a silent epidemic has struck Fresno County's Hmong community.

The Hmong Health Collaborative and University of California, Merced, met last week to discuss Hmong health care and a new health survey showing a rise in hepatitis B stunned community leaders.

UC professor Dr. Muhammad Y. Sheikh's survey shows nearly 17 percent of the county's Hmong have hepatitis B, but most don't know they are infected. Hepatitis B can damage the liver and lead to cirrhosis and cancer. Liver cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer of Laotian men in California.

The Hmong came to the United States as refugees after the Vietnam War and an estimated 30,000 Hmong live in Fresno County.
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Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... community/