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 “These recent cases are a reminder that states across the country,
including states bordering Illinois, have been seeing hepatitis A
outbreaks,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. “We
encourage those at highest risk for infection, including
men-who-have-sex with men, homeless individuals, and those who use
drugs, to get vaccinated against hepatitis A.”
Hepatitis A is an infection that can damage the liver, and is passed
easily from one person to another through food, water, drug use, and
sex. Hepatitis A infection is a vaccine-preventable illness.
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint
pain, and jaundice.
In an effort to prevent hepatitis A outbreaks in Illinois, IDPH is
working with 37 local health departments around the state covering
40 counties to make hepatitis A vaccine more readily available. IDPH
has requested a large number of hepatitis A vaccines from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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That vaccine is being delivered to numerous local health departments across
Illinois to be available for free or at a reduced cost for people at the
greatest risk of becoming infected.
According to the CDC, from January 2017 to April 2018, there have been more than
2,500 reports of hepatitis A infections from multiple states. Of the more than
1,900 reports for which risk factors are known, more than 1,300 (68%) people
infected reported drug use (injection and non-injection), homelessness, or both.
Men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, and people who do not have a
home should check with their health department about a free or reduced cost
hepatitis A vaccine. For more information about hepatitis A, go to the IDPH
website or to
https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/ HAV/index.htm.
[Illinois Department of Public Health] |
