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May 6, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Florida's Polk County Sickened With Hepatitis A Outbreak" Associated Press (www.ap.org) (05/05/02); Chachere, Vickie

Following the death of a 29-year-old woman in Bartow, Fla., from hepatitis A in February, investigators linked her death with a cook at John's Restaurant who had also been diagnosed with the disease.  Five other people who also became infected with the virus also ate at the restaurant.  Polk County has recorded 138 cases of hepatitis A already this year, compared to 153 for all of 2000.  Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Polk County is reporting cases of hepatitis A at six times the  national average.  Health officials in the county assert that the outbreak of hepatitis A is due to methamphetamine users who transmit the virus through sex and needle sharing, and they are working to research each patient with hepatitis A in order to determine where it started and provide vaccinations to prevent further spread of the virus.

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