Hepatitis Research Papers

A deadly outbreak of hepatitis A, an infectious disease that can affect the liver, has hit San Diego, Los Angeles County, and Santa Cruz. The outbreak began in San Diego and made its way through to Los Angeles County and Santa Cruz. It is reported that 450 people in San Diego, 16 people in Los Angeles, and 69 people in Santa Cruz have picked up the virus already and numbers are going to continue rising. In San Diego 17 people have died from the outbreak already. Officials say the outbreak may stick around for months possibly even years even with the right precautions. This is a public health issue because this disease outbreak needs to be tracked and put under control with preventions and healthy behavior promotions. It is important to know
Some ways this virus is spread around is by sharing utensils with someone who has the virus, sexual contact with an infected person, or eating or drinking contaminated food. Some symptoms of this virus may include yellowing of the skin, feeling tired, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea. It is also very common for people who are infected to have no symptoms at all. The majority of the people who have been infected with the hepatitis A virus during this outbreak have been the homeless and drug users. Karlamangla states, “San Diego’s outbreak appears to be fueled by poor sanitary conditions, with many cases among people who used shared restrooms in jails or shelters.” Not washing hands after using the restroom or not keeping the restroom clean are examples of poor sanitary conditions. Restrooms can get really dirty and a lot of viruses can be found in shared restrooms, not only the hepatitis A virus. This outbreak is very serious because it may stick around for a long time so more and more people are going to be infected. Many people who have liver damage already can’t
Most patients have a good recovery rate, but for patients who have other underlying health conditions that may not be the case. Although there is no treatment for hepatitis A, there are many ways we can prevent being infected with this virus. Los Angeles and San Diego county department of public health have come up with ways to prevent more spreading. Streets with a large population of homelessness are being cleaning with bleach in both Los Angeles and San Diego County. Vaccinations are also important in preventing this virus from spreading even more than it already has. Health officials are going around and vaccinating the homeless communities and others who are at high risk. In just Los Angeles County 40,000 vaccinations were given to the homeless population. Also, the general population is being told to get vaccinated if they have not already. Karlamanga says, “Health officials reminded people not to share food, drinks or cigarettes with people, and to wash their hands with soap after using the bathroom and before handling food.” It is also important to follow healthy behavior like washing hands and making sure what you are eating is safe in order to reduce your chances of being infected with the virus. Finally, people who are traveling in areas that have been affected by this outbreak should follow up more carefully on preventive