Former Surgeon General, Dr Joycelyn Elders, speaks out to protect children and communities from hepatitis A -
As a result of hepatitis A outbreaks across the country, former United States Surgeon General, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, and the
National Partnership for Immunization are joining forces to educate the public about the disease and prevention through
vaccination. This initiative comes on the one-year anniversary of one of the largest hepatitis A outbreaks in U.S. history,
which caused devastating health effects and severely affected families and communities near Pittsburgh, Pa. Hepatitis A is a
serious and potentially deadly liver disease that may infect nearly 100,000 Americans each year. The disease, which can be
prevented through vaccination, is spread via the fecal-oral route through close personal contact or the ingestion of water or
food contaminated with the hepatitis A virus. Children often serve as a reservoir for hepatitis A, and unknowingly pass it on
to adults.
"Many of these outbreaks, including the one in Pennsylvania, occurred in areas east of the Mississippi that do not typically
have high rates of hepatitis A," said Elders. "If you take a closer look at the 17 states where routine hepatitis A
vaccination should be implemented or considered, you'll see what an impact the vaccination has had on lowering the number of
cases of the disease. It's time for health officials to consider hepatitis A vaccination for all children at potential risk
in order to protect them, their families and their communities."
Despite the availability of effective vaccines, hepatitis A remains one of the most commonly reported vaccine-preventable
diseases in the country. Current immunization policies are limited to children in states with high incidence rates. However,
these states account for only half of all reported cases of hepatitis A in the country, leaving many at risk for contracting
the disease.
Devastating Outbreaks that Could be Prevented
One year ago, the hepatitis A outbreak near Pittsburgh affected approximately 600 people, who contracted the disease from
contaminated food at a local restaurant. Not only was this one of the largest outbreaks of hepatitis A in U.S. history, but
it also resulted in the deaths of three people.
"Hepatitis A is a serious and continuing public health threat," said David Neumann, PhD, Executive Director of the National
Partnership for Immunization. "Recent outbreaks have had an enormous impact on communities, causing illness and even death.
Unfortunately, many of these cases could have been prevented through vaccination."
Hepatitis A can affect anyone, as evidenced by the recent outbreaks in areas across the country. According to the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, routine vaccination of children is the
most effective way to reduce hepatitis A incidence nationwide over time. Research shows that national childhood vaccination
of hepatitis A would reduce the number of primary cases by 54 percent and would be a cost-effective strategy. Hepatitis A is
a potentially fatal liver disease which significantly impacts the U.S. economy, costing nearly $500 million annually.
Expanding childhood vaccination requirements could be an effective strategy to help save lives, reduce the burden of
hepatitis A disease and reduce this negative impact on the economy. For more information on hepatitis A and prevention
through vaccination, log on to partnersforimmunization. Support for this educational effort is being provided by
GlaxoSmithKline, a company that joins NPI in its commitment to help reduce the incidence of hepatitis A in the U.S.
About Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. This virus is found in the stool of persons with
hepatitis A and is spread by close personal contact and by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the hepatitis A
virus. Hepatitis A can be easily passed by those infected with the disease to others within the same household. Children are
among the highest risk groups for hepatitis A because they often come in close contact with other children in child care and
school settings.
About one in five people with the disease have to be hospitalized and up to 100 people with the disease may die each year.
Symptoms of the disease can be debilitating and include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort,
jaundice and dark urine.
About the National Partnership for Immunization
The National Partnership for Immunization (NPI) is a non-profit organization that was created in 2000 to encourage greater
awareness, acceptance and use of immunization by people of all ages through partnerships with public and private
organizations. NPI brings together private and public sector partners, including healthcare provider professional
associations, community-based organizations, policymakers, vaccine manufacturers, insurance companies, managed care
corporations, hospitals, major employers, healthcare and social service professionals, medical and scientific researchers and
public health advocates to improve the effectiveness of public and professional educational and outreach efforts to reduce
the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases among children, adolescents and adults.
Contact: April Starling
April_Starlingnychnwolfe
212-798-6861
Cohn & Wolfe