Hepatitus Awareness Month
Tuesday May 21, 2019
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month and the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is raising awareness about this very prevalent disease and wants to encourage those who are at risk to get tested.
Hepatitis is a serious liver disease most often caused by one of several viruses. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Millions of Americans are living with chronic hepatitis, yet most don’t know it. “Here in the tri-county area in 2017-18, there were 135 people living with at least one form of hepatitis.” Says Yvonne Atwood, Director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention at the Community Health Agency. “A majority of those being chronic hepatitis C. This is why it is so important for people who are at risk to be tested; especially those who were born between 1945 and 1965. People can live for decades without symptoms, but over time, chronic hepatitis can cause serious health problems.”
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is often spread by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with infected feces or by touching contaminated objects with your mouth. Hepatitis A can spread easily among people who live together and among sexual partners. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months and can result in death.
In August 2016, a hepatitis A outbreak began in southeast Michigan. Since then, the outbreak has grown to other parts of the state. People at highest risk of getting hepatitis A include people who use illegal drugs, people who are homeless or move around a lot, people who are or were recently in jail or prison, men who have sex with men, and people with existing chronic liver disease. However, anyone can get hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can be prevented through vaccination and good handwashing. Vaccination is available at the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency.
Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It ranges from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe, long-term (chronic) illness that can lead to liver disease or liver cancer. HBV is spread when blood, semen, or another bodily fluid from a person infected with HBV enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact and sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment. HBV can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby at birth. Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all infants and children age 18 and under and adults who are at risk for HBV infection.
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks, to a severe, lifelong, chronic illness. For most people, HCV leads to chronic infection and may result in long-term health problems or even death. HCV is spread when blood from a person infected with HCV enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with HCV by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Before 1992, HCV was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. There is no vaccine for HCV, but it is treatable. Ninety percent of people who complete treatment will be cured of HCV.
To get your vaccines from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, please call your local office and schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Branch County: Monday Immunization clinics – call 517-279-9561 ext. 100
Hillsdale County: Wednesday Immunization clinics – call 517-437-7395 ext. 336
St. Joseph County: Tuesday Immunization clinics – 269-273-2161 ext. 208
For more information on hepatitis and Hepatitis Awareness Month, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
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