California declares state of emergency over hepatitis A outbreak- October 13, 2017
California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a state of emergency today to increase the number of adult hepatitis A vaccines needed to contain the state's ongoing epidemic.
According to Gil Chavez, MD, MPH, deputy director and state epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Center for Infectious Diseases, the outbreak is currently affecting San Diego, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles counties. Local health emergencies were previously declared in San Diego on Sept. 1 and in Los Angeles on Sept. 19.
The CDPH has already distributed approximately 80,000 doses of vaccine that were obtained through the federal vaccine program. However, Chavez said during a teleconference today that the vaccine supply made available through the federal vaccine program "is no longer sufficient to address this outbreak."
With today's declaration, Chavez said the CDPH can secure funding to immediately purchase additional vaccines from manufactures and distribute them to high-risk individuals in affected areas. According to a CDPH new release, there is an "ample supply" of hepatitis A vaccine for children.
To date,576 cases, 386 hospitalizations and 18 deaths have been linked to the outbreak since November 2016, according to Chavez. The outbreak is being spread through person-to-person transmission, largely affecting people who are homeless, report illicit drug use, or both. Chavez said the general population is currently not at an increased risk for infection.
"The outbreak is caused by related strains of the same hepatitis A virus genotype 1b, which is not commonly seen in the Americas, but is mostly common in the Mediterranean region and in South Africa," Chavez said. "This outbreak strain is not known to cause more serious disease than other strains."
A CDPH representative previously toldInfectious Disease News that the overall case count is larger than that of all other hepatitis A outbreaks in California combined over the past 20 years. There were seven hepatitis A outbreaks in the state from 1998 to 2015, totaling 224 cases and one death.
"San Diego, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles health officials have responded quickly and effectively and have taken the necessary steps to identify cases promptly, identify their contacts, vaccinate those at risk, educate the public and improve sanitation," Chavez said. "Vaccination is the most effective means to prevent additional cases and to control the outbreak." - by Stephanie Viguers
If one is at risk, say, just by the very fact of being in a state of "untreated HCV", you should (at mimimum) have your Hep A and B immunity status/levels checked out - if it is found you do not possess enough immunity to A and B, you should be immunized (or re-immunized as the case may be) to help prevent you from acquiring another kind of hepatitis insult/infection from occurring to you and your liver, a liver that is already quite busy enough! Same can be said for flu shots, try tp prevent any other kind of opportunistic infection from occurring to you.
Tig said
Sep 4, 2017
Once you recover from Hep A or are vaccinated for it, you are immune for the rest of your life. Hepatitis C you can be reinfected at any time if re-exposed.
bbomb said
Sep 4, 2017
i got hep A 21 years ago and it was a horible sickness....and when i went to the dr., that is when they discovered the hep c....
question Tig....once infected with Hep A can one get it again??? or hep c aswell for that matter....
-- Edited by bbomb on Monday 4th of September 2017 09:11:52 PM
Canuck said
Sep 4, 2017
Conjures up images of dark medieval cobble-stone streets awash a suffering impoverished swill of infected humanity. What next?, wagons trundling by, crying out bring out the dead! Power-wash them down with bleach? Maybe we'll succeed in getting them to move on - NIMBY. Such sad states in so many places nowadays. Third world in the first world. Then there is Haiti, Yemen, Africa, war/famine/flood disasters ... global lessons, small and large in epidemiology.
Folks need more than porti-washes being dropped off. So much more. The basics for life are missing from the equation for so many people in this old world. :( C.
Tig said
Sep 3, 2017
The homeless population is most affected by this right now. The health department is setting up portable sanitation stations all over. They have teams that are spraying streets and sidewalks throughout the higher risk areas with a bleach solution. Because this is affecting a large population of homeless and street people, they have no idea of the actual number of infected individuals. The lack of bathrooms in these areas has lead to widespread fecal contamination. It's going to get worse before it gets better. Combine IVDU to this equation and you can see the possibility for wider coinfection. It's bad news, any way you look at it...
Canuck said
Sep 3, 2017
Tig wrote:
California health officials have announced an emergency situation in San Diego, CA. Widespread Hepatitis A outbreaks have been announced in the area. This is particularly dangerous for anyone that may be infected with Hepatitis C or B. Be certain to avoid exposure whenever possible and assure you have been vaccinated for both Hep A and B.
Never good (for anyone)! So, this older article thread Up-surge of Hep A in California noted only around 300 cases and that was only between Nov 2016 to July of 2017, now, this most recent notification has it still growing, add another 100 cases, bringing us up to a total of about 400 in Sept 2017!
LamontCranston said
Sep 3, 2017
Hep A is No Joke.
I got that nastiness in the late 80s during a hurricane in Mexico, when the streets of Barra De Navidad were 5 feet deep in rain water, sewage. I was out of work for 6 months.
The only thing it's good for is rapid weight loss.
Tig said
Sep 3, 2017
California health officials have announced an emergency situation in San Diego, CA. Widespread Hepatitis A outbreaks have been announced in the area. This is particularly dangerous for anyone that may be infected with Hepatitis C or B. Be certain to avoid exposure whenever possible and assure you have been vaccinated for both Hep A and B.
Update:
California declares state of emergency over hepatitis A outbreak - October 13, 2017
California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a state of emergency today to increase the number of adult hepatitis A vaccines needed to contain the state's ongoing epidemic.
According to Gil Chavez, MD, MPH, deputy director and state epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Center for Infectious Diseases, the outbreak is currently affecting San Diego, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles counties. Local health emergencies were previously declared in San Diego on Sept. 1 and in Los Angeles on Sept. 19.
The CDPH has already distributed approximately 80,000 doses of vaccine that were obtained through the federal vaccine program. However, Chavez said during a teleconference today that the vaccine supply made available through the federal vaccine program "is no longer sufficient to address this outbreak."
With today's declaration, Chavez said the CDPH can secure funding to immediately purchase additional vaccines from manufactures and distribute them to high-risk individuals in affected areas. According to a CDPH new release, there is an "ample supply" of hepatitis A vaccine for children.
To date, 576 cases, 386 hospitalizations and 18 deaths have been linked to the outbreak since November 2016, according to Chavez. The outbreak is being spread through person-to-person transmission, largely affecting people who are homeless, report illicit drug use, or both. Chavez said the general population is currently not at an increased risk for infection.
"The outbreak is caused by related strains of the same hepatitis A virus genotype 1b, which is not commonly seen in the Americas, but is mostly common in the Mediterranean region and in South Africa," Chavez said. "This outbreak strain is not known to cause more serious disease than other strains."
A CDPH representative previously told Infectious Disease News that the overall case count is larger than that of all other hepatitis A outbreaks in California combined over the past 20 years. There were seven hepatitis A outbreaks in the state from 1998 to 2015, totaling 224 cases and one death.
"San Diego, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles health officials have responded quickly and effectively and have taken the necessary steps to identify cases promptly, identify their contacts, vaccinate those at risk, educate the public and improve sanitation," Chavez said. "Vaccination is the most effective means to prevent additional cases and to control the outbreak." - by Stephanie Viguers
See prior story in this thread: California Hep A Emergency (previously about 400 cases)
See also older prior thread and story: Up-surge of Hep A in California (originally about 300 cases)
If one is at risk, say, just by the very fact of being in a state of "untreated HCV", you should (at mimimum) have your Hep A and B immunity status/levels checked out - if it is found you do not possess enough immunity to A and B, you should be immunized (or re-immunized as the case may be) to help prevent you from acquiring another kind of hepatitis insult/infection from occurring to you and your liver, a liver that is already quite busy enough! Same can be said for flu shots, try tp prevent any other kind of opportunistic infection from occurring to you.
Once you recover from Hep A or are vaccinated for it, you are immune for the rest of your life. Hepatitis C you can be reinfected at any time if re-exposed.
i got hep A 21 years ago and it was a horible sickness....and when i went to the dr., that is when they discovered the hep c....
question Tig....once infected with Hep A can one get it again??? or hep c aswell for that matter....
-- Edited by bbomb on Monday 4th of September 2017 09:11:52 PM
Conjures up images of dark medieval cobble-stone streets awash a suffering impoverished swill of infected humanity. What next?, wagons trundling by, crying out bring out the dead! Power-wash them down with bleach? Maybe we'll succeed in getting them to move on - NIMBY. Such sad states in so many places nowadays. Third world in the first world. Then there is Haiti, Yemen, Africa, war/famine/flood disasters ... global lessons, small and large in epidemiology.
Folks need more than porti-washes being dropped off. So much more. The basics for life are missing from the equation for so many people in this old world. :( C.
The homeless population is most affected by this right now. The health department is setting up portable sanitation stations all over. They have teams that are spraying streets and sidewalks throughout the higher risk areas with a bleach solution. Because this is affecting a large population of homeless and street people, they have no idea of the actual number of infected individuals. The lack of bathrooms in these areas has lead to widespread fecal contamination. It's going to get worse before it gets better. Combine IVDU to this equation and you can see the possibility for wider coinfection. It's bad news, any way you look at it...
Never good (for anyone)! So, this older article thread Up-surge of Hep A in California noted only around 300 cases and that was only between Nov 2016 to July of 2017, now, this most recent notification has it still growing, add another 100 cases, bringing us up to a total of about 400 in Sept 2017!
Hep A is No Joke.
I got that nastiness in the late 80s during a hurricane in Mexico, when the streets of Barra De Navidad were 5 feet deep in rain water, sewage. I was out of work for 6 months.
The only thing it's good for is rapid weight loss.
California health officials have announced an emergency situation in San Diego, CA. Widespread Hepatitis A outbreaks have been announced in the area. This is particularly dangerous for anyone that may be infected with Hepatitis C or B. Be certain to avoid exposure whenever possible and assure you have been vaccinated for both Hep A and B.
California Hep A Emergency