Worcester gives out vaccine as hepatitis A cases on rise
BOSTON – A reported rise in hepatitis cases among the homeless and people with substance abuse disorders, including one person who has died, has put Worcester public health officials on alert.
As of late last month, only three of the 65 reported cases of hepatitis A in the state were from Worcester, according to Karyn Clark, director of Worcester's Division of Public Health, the lead agency of the Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance.
The state Department of Public Health encouraged local health departments to educate the populations at risk and make vaccines available.
“About three weeks ago we got a notice of the outbreak in Boston, so we actually started vaccinating everyone right away,” said Dr. Matilde Castiel, commissioner of health and human services of the Worcester DPH.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection that spreads by consumption of either food or water contaminated with infected feces, making those living in unhygienic environments prone to the virus.
It takes two to six weeks before symptoms occur. Common symptoms include fever and chills, itching of the skin due to jaundice or yellowing of the eyes and skin, dark urine, lighter color stool, fatigue, loss of appetite and joint pain.
Once symptoms appear they can last up to eight weeks and then clear up on their own. No specific treatment exists for hepatitis A, and in most cases, the liver heals within six months with no lasting damage.
The Boston Public Health Commission emphasized that the rise in cases in there is “not linked to infected persons who have traveled outside of Boston or contaminated food or water.”
The transmission of the virus is facilitated by the lack of access to sanitary facilities and among people who have direct contact.
Dr. Castiel said the Worcester DPH is working with clinics such as Community Healthlink, which provides mental health and recovery services, and Homeless Outreach and Advocacy Project, a group serving the homeless, and those with substance use disorders, especially people injecting drugs, to educate them on the risks of the infection and make vaccines available.
“I'm making sure that (public bathrooms in the library, senior centers, Union Station) are not just washed out once a day, but that they're looked at a couple of times a day and kept really clean,” she said.
Dr. Castiel said the WDPH is sending out fliers to different agencies to create public awareness about hepatitis A.
Worcester DPH medical director Dr. Michael Hirsh stressed the importance of vaccination not just for at-risk populations, but also for those who may come in contact with them.
People at risk live in an environment “where it’s kind of tough to maintain optimal hygiene,” Dr. Hirsh said, making them more susceptible to the disease.
He said some of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of hepatitis A are peeling and washing fruits and vegetables with clean water,not eating raw or undercooked meat or fish, using hand sanitizer or washing hands with soap after going to the bathroom, and using protection during sexual encounters.