International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2006
Prevalence of hepatitis B among Afghan refugees living in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Continued civil war and political instability in Afghanistan have lead to a huge influx of refugees into the neighboring provinces in Pakistan. This study was conducted to estimate seroprevalence of hepatitis B and to identify potential risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission among the refugees living in the camps of Balochistan Province, Pakistan. ⋯ Hepatitis B is highly endemic among Afghan refugees living in these camps. Unsafe injection practices will continue to cause a steady increase in the magnitude of this health problem until appropriate control measures are taken. The possibility of mother-to-child transmission underscores the need to include vaccination against hepatitis B as part of routine immunization in this population.