JULY 28 IS HEPATITIS A AWARENESS DAY
By: Elena Jamscek PA-C
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is usually transmitted person-to-person through the fecal-oral route or consumption of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A does not result in chronic infection.
Symptom include:
- Fatigue
- low appetite
- stomach pain
- nausea
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin, nails, whites of the eyes)
Since March 2017, CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) has been assisting multiple state and local health departments with hepatitis A outbreaks, spread through person-to-person contact.
THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT HEPATITIS A INFECTION IS VACCINATION!
The following groups are at highest risk for acquiring HAV infection or developing serious complications from HAV infection in these outbreaks and should be offered the hepatitis A vaccine in order to prevent or control an outbreak:
- People who use drugs (injection or non-injection)
- People experiencing unstable housing or homelessness
- Men who have sex with men (MSM)
- People who are currently or were recently incarcerated
- People with chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C
One dose of single-antigen hepatitis A vaccine has been shown to control outbreaks of hepatitis A and provides up to 95% protection in healthy individuals for up to 11 years.1,2
For more information visit www.cdc.gov
If you are worried about Hepatitis A because you fall in one of the above mentioned categories or you are having symptoms, we can take care of you with blood testing and treatment here at 45 Urgent Care.
Vaccinations can be received at any health department