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CLARKSBURG – As an epidemic of hepatitis A continues in the state, health professionals from all organizations and institutions are coming together to develop and implement strategies to slow the spread of the virus.
"As part of our Hepatitis A Epidemic Vaccination Initiative across the country, a team traveled to affected counties to partner with local stakeholders to bring the vaccine into the community. hands of service providers who see the population at high risk of hepatitis. An infection, "said Shannon McBee, senior epidemiologist responsible for overseeing the hepatitis A epidemic for the West Virginia Public Health Bureau.
The state team met with officials from the United Hospital Center and Highland-Clarksburg Hospital, McBee said.
Health care professionals discussed risk screening measures and the provision of hepatitis A vaccine to people at risk during routine medical encounters and emergency visits, McBee said.
"This approach has been very successful with community partners. While the state often collaborates with partners to deal with infectious disease outbreaks on a much smaller scale, there is an unprecedented epidemic in West Virginia of significance public health, "she said.
In early 2018, the outbreak taking place in several states reached Kanawha County. Since then, it has expanded to 42 of 55 counties in the state.
In north-central West Virginia, Harrison County was hardest hit. According to the County of Donna Riffle, nurse director of the Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department, the county had already registered 53 confirmed cases of hepatitis A related to the outbreak.
Other potential cases among county residents are being investigated, she said.
Marion County had five confirmed cases. Lewis, Doddridge, Upshur, Monongalia, Preston and Randolph counties reported between one and four cases per county, according to a report released Friday by the DHHR.
At the state level, half of the people infected with epidemic-related hepatitis A had to be hospitalized and 12 people died, according to the DHDP.
At the United Hospital Center, 64 patients had to be admitted to the hospital for serious hepatitis A infection since last June, said Annetta Payne, an infection prevention specialist certified to the UHC.
On Wednesday, a strategy meeting was held between local public health officials, USC Infectious Disease Specialists and the Public Health Bureau of the State Department of Health and Human Resources.
"It was a very productive meeting," said Donna Riffle, Director of Nursing, Harrison-Clarksburg Department of Health. "It was a good opportunity to continue building partnerships. We reviewed what we were doing, sensitized the community and brainstormed on other avenues to reach the population at risk. We have some ideas that we will work on. "
Screening and vaccination of people at risk remains the main approach to stop the spread of the virus. Meeting participants discussed ways to better identify at-risk populations and their contacts and to build links to improve on-going immunization efforts, said Dr. Mark Povroznik, Quality Manager and Chair of the Program. control of UHC infections.
According to Mr. Povroznik, UHC staff will begin discussions on the establishment of a standard screening tool and explore the feasibility of using electronic health records from WVU Medicine to alert the health care providers of already vaccinated patients, he said.
Vaccination remains the best way to prevent disease in at-risk populations.
"In order to stop the spread of this disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 70 to 80 per cent of the population at risk needs to be vaccinated, including those who use illicit drugs, the homeless or the elderly. people alive. in a transient living situation, people incarcerated in the last six weeks and those who are in close contact with the at-risk group, "said McBee.
To achieve this goal, the DHDH began offering a free vaccine to all local state health facilities and services in June of this year.
"A state-wide initiative to vaccinate the at-risk population in collaboration with local health services and community partners is underway. The Public Health Office has partnered with stakeholders to provide the vaccine to those serving the population at risk, such as hospitals, comprehensive treatment centers, medication-badisted therapy sites, and treatment centers. qualified health care by the federal government, "she said.
Efforts in the state have produced results, said McBee.
"The number of new cases of hepatitis A has dropped significantly since 10 consecutive weeks," she said. "At the height of the outbreak, West Virginia has recorded an average of 90 new cases per week, compared with 20 new cases per week currently."
Hepatitis A, which is excreted by the stool, is transmitted when a person unknowingly ingests microscopic particles of contaminated human waste, Riffle said.
The virus can live on surfaces for months, she said.
In addition to vaccination, hand washing can prevent the spread of the virus, according to Riffle.
The symptoms of hepatitis A can be mild or severe and, in adults, usually include yellowing of the skin or eyes, right upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea,
Symptoms may also include loss of appetite, fatigue, tea-colored urine, pale stools, headaches or fever, said Povroznik.
Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A virus infection, and children are now systematically vaccinated against the virus, according to Povroznik.
Anyone who thinks he or she has been exposed to hepatitis A should consult a doctor because a dose of vaccine given within two weeks of exposure can prevent the disease, he said.
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