title: Hepatitis A infection in recent international adoptees and their contacts in Minnesota, 2007-2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to describe hepatitis A-infected adoptees and the risk of transmission to their contacts.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective review of adoptee-associated cases of hepatitis A and hepatitis A-infected adoptees identified in Minnesota from 2007 through 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2007 through 2009 in Minnesota, 10 cases of hepatitis A, including 1 fulminant case, were associated with international adoptees. Eight cases were direct contacts of a hepatitis A-infected adoptee, and 2 other cases secondary contacts of an adoptee. During the same period, hepatitis A infection was identified in 21 recently arrived foreign-born adoptees; all were younger than 60 months of age, and only 6 were symptomatic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should be aware that transmission of hepatitis A may occur among both direct and secondary contacts of young children recently adopted from hepatitis A-endemic areas and that infected young children may be asymptomatic. Household members and other close contacts of international adoptees should be counseled about hepatitis A prevention, including vaccination. In addition, screening for hepatitis A should be considered for recently arrived adoptees from endemic areas.
authors: Minnesota Department of Health, St Paul, MN 55164, USA. kristin.sweet@state.mn.us
authors: Kristin
authors: K
authors: Sweet
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Sutherland
authors: Kristen
authors: K
authors: Ehresmann
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Lynfield
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors