Hepatitis B
The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection varies by geographic region. Most of North America is a low-prevalence (< 2%) area. Certain high-prevalence pockets exist, especially areas with a high proportion of Asian immigrants, where rates of chronic HBV are as high as 5% to 15% (Carey 2009).
Studies data from 2013-2016 indicate that half of one million with HBV are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, who became infected before entering the United States. Asian Americans are twice as likely to develop chronic Hepatitis B and eight times more likely to die from Hepatitis B than non-Hispanic whites.
In most low-prevalence areas, HBV infection is acquired mainly during adolescence and mid-adulthood, whereas perinatal transmission is the main route in high-prevalence (≥ 8%) areas. Up to 40% of patients with chronic HBV infection develop liver complications. Age at acquisition affects the likelihood of chronicity and the development of liver complications. The risk of each is greatest with perinatal transmission; the disease is usually self-limiting when exposure to HBV occurs during adolescence or young adulthood. Viral load predicts progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Also, Yuen et al (2005) followed 3,233 Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection for approximately 4 years, and found that the risk of developing liver complications from chronic HBV infection increased as ALT concentration increased.
Several studies to measure the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Hepatitis B (HBV) screening and vaccination in the Chinese American population have shown that knowledge level of HBV risk factors and screening and vaccination rates are low (Ma 2008; Thompson 2002; Nguyen 2007). Therefore, intervention programs to improve HBV testing rates in Chinese Americans should include strategies to improve knowledge about the risk of HBV and encourage effective communication with health care providers about HBV testing and vaccination (Coronado 2007).
Tuberculosis (TB)
In 2021: 7,882 total TB cases in US. Of those, 2,834 cases were in Asian Americans.
TB rate for Asian Americans: 14.4 per 100,000 cases. 32 times higher for Asian Americans than non-Hispanic whites.
Most common countries of birth for those with TB in 2021:
- Philippines; 12.3%,
- India; 10.2%,
- Vietnam; 7.5%,
- China; 5.6%
- Myanmar; 1.8%
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/populations/tbinasians/default.htm
