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March 25, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Polk to Vaccinate Against Hepatitis"

Lakeland Ledger (FL) (www.theledger.com) (03/22/02) P. A1; Green, Merissa

In Polk County, Fla., health authorities have offered to vaccinate 1,000 students and staff at a local school against hepatitis A.  The move follows the discovery that a cafeteria worker at the Stambaugh Middle School was suffering from the disease.  According to Dr. Daniel Haight, Polk's health director, there have been over 100 cases of hepatitis A in the county so far this year.  There were over 150 cases of the disease in the county last year.  Children and staff at 18 child-care centers in areas where hepatitis A has struck received vaccinations recently against the disease.  There are two kinds of vaccine used to combat hepatitis A.  The first is a vaccine given to people who have not contracted the disease but live in a situation that potentially puts them at high risk.  The second vaccine, called immune globulin, provides a limited amount of protection for people who have been exposed to hepatitis A within the past two weeks.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.