ABSTRACT
Infectious diseases are intimately associated with several general factors such as socioeconomic level, environmental influences, educational achievement, access to health care and geographical location, among others. The frequent interaction of Hispanic residents with relatives and friends from various countries with endemic rates of the disease also may contribute to the excess morbidity of infections such as typhoid fever and tuberculosis in the United States. A variety of barriers in the prevention and management of infectious diseases may exist among Hispanic populations. There has been a general waning of the total frequency of immunization-preventable diseases across the country in recent decades, related to widespread routine administration of immunizations. Socioenvironmentai deficiencies associated with poverty, such as inadequate living conditions and hygiene, may be intimately involved with the increased morbidity from bacterial gastrointestinal diseases, parasitosis, and hepatitis A infections. The need for a comprehensive national assessment on the impact of infectious diseases on the various race/ethnic populations in the country deserves further emphasis.
