title: Update: vitamin B12 deficiency among Bhutanese refugees resettling in the United States, 2012.
abstract: In 2008, clinicians performing routine medical examinations in the United States reported high rates of hematologic and neurologic disorders caused by vitamin B12 deficiency in resettled Bhutanese refugees. To confirm this finding, CDC screened Bhutanese refugees' serum samples for vitamin B12 levels and found vitamin B12 deficiency in 64% (n = 99) of samples obtained before departure and 27% (n = 64) of samples obtained after arrival in the United States. In response, CDC recommended that arriving Bhutanese refugees receive oral vitamin B12 supplements and nutrition advice. In 2012, based on anecdotal reports of decreasing rates of vitamin B12 deficiency in this population, CDC worked with select domestic refugee health programs to determine if the recommendations had reduced the vitamin B12 deficiency rate among Bhutanese refugees.
authors.forename: Kendra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cuffe
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stauffer
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Painter
authors.forename: Sharmila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montour
authors.forename: Weigong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001631:Bhutan / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult