|
For Immediate Release Monday, May 1, 2006
Hepatitis A Vaccination Recommended for People With
Chronic Liver Disease and International Travelers
May 1, 2006, DENVER — Dr. Ned Calonge, Colorado’s chief medical
officer who is based at the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment, Monday said that getting two doses of Hepatitis A
vaccination is a good idea for individuals with chronic liver diseases,
such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C, because the vaccine can prevent
additional liver damage.
Between 80,000 to 100,000 Coloradans are estimated to
have chronic liver disease.
In addition, Calonge encouraged individuals, who plan to
travel to countries with poor sanitation systems and high rates of
hepatitis A infection, to consider the vaccinations.
Calonge explained, “Cases of hepatitis A infection in
Colorado have dramatically decreased from more than 500 cases per year
in the mid-1990s to 49 cases in 2005. Much of the decline is due to a
hepatitis A vaccine that became available in 1995. However, 55 percent
of the cases identified in Colorado in 2005 were among individuals who
traveled to parts of the world with high rates of hepatitis A infection,
including Mexico, South America and Asia.”
He advised international travelers to consult with a
local travel clinic six months before departure to ensure a healthy
trip.
Statewide Travel Clinics
Boulder County Travel Clinics
Calonge explained that hepatitis A is a viral infection.
The virus is excreted in feces and may be carried on the hands of an
infected person who spreads it to others. This occurs when the infected
person performs inadequate hand washing after a bowel movement or after
changing an infected baby’s diapers and then spreads the virus to others
through close contact or through other activities such as food
preparation, especially food that is served cold or handled after
cooking.
“Always practicing good hand washing, in addition to
immunizations, is a key to stopping the spread of the virus,” he said.
Hepatitis A is usually not life threatening and does not
result in a chronic infection, said Calonge. Symptoms tend to be milder
for children and more severe among adults. Infected adults lose an
average of 27 days of work. Hepatitis A infection may cause fatigue,
fever, poor appetite and vomiting. Urine may become darker in color, and
then jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, may
appear.
“For individuals who already have chronic liver disease,
a hepatitis A infection can be very serious. These individuals should
discuss vaccination with their health care providers,” he said.
State health officials provided the following
information on the three types of hepatitis and encouraged individuals
with any concerns to call the Department of Public Health and
Environment’s Viral Hepatitis Program at (303) 692-2700.
THE ABCS OF HEPATITIS
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A
virus. It usually is not life threatening. Symptoms can include fever,
nausea, diarrhea, tiredness and jaundice. Symptoms usually appear 20 to
30 days after exposure. Older people are more likely to have symptoms
than children. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stools of people
with the virus and is spread by close contact and sometimes by eating or
drinking contaminated food. Good personal hygiene and proper sanitation
can help prevent hepatitis A. A vaccine against this infection was
licensed in 1995. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now
recommending the hepatitis A vaccination for all children at 1 year of
age.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a life-threatening viral disease of the
liver. It is spread primarily by sexual contact, or when injection drug
users share contaminated needles, or when there is exposure to an
infected person’s blood. All children in Colorado entering kindergarten
are required to be immunized for hepatitis B. The vaccine is normally
administered in infancy.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a chronic viral infection of the liver. The hepatitis C
virus is spread by blood, primarily by receipt of blood transfusions
prior to 1992, by receipt of clotting factors produced prior to 1987, or
when injection drug users share contaminated needles. About 8,000 to
10,000 people die annually in the United States from hepatitis C, and an
estimated 83,000 Coloradoans have been infected with hepatitis C. There
is no vaccine available to prevent infection by this virus.
For more information:
Top of Page
|
