Three new hepatitis cases reported
By Barbara Isaacs
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
Three more cases of hepatitis A have been reported to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, raising the total number of cases to 13 since February.
All three new cases are adults -- two women and one man. Only one of them has an obvious connection to people who had previously been diagnosed with the illness.
"The other two, strangely enough, do not have any commonality with any of the existing cases that we know of," said Jim Wilkins, a spokesman for the health department.
On Wednesday, health officials had reported that a fourth kindergarten student at Lexington's Mary Todd Elementary had been diagnosed with hepatitis A. Earlier this week, a child in Early Start at Yates Elementary also was diagnosed with the disease. That child was in a class of 15 children, ages 3 to 4.
Health department epidemiologists are investigating the illnesses, but aren't yet sure how widespread the problem might be.
This afternoon, a shot clinic is scheduled at Yates Elementary from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Students, faculty and school aides who work with the afternoon Early Start class at Yates will receive immune globulin and hepatitis A vaccine at no cost.
Hepatitis A vaccines are available to others, such as family members of the Early Start afternoon class " but there is a $25 charge for a child and $45 for an adult. For people who have symptoms of hepatitis A, a health department nurse can draw blood, at no charge, to confirm whether the virus is present.
On Tuesday, the health department administered more than 100 hepatitis A vaccines and 36 immune globulin shots at Yates. Since the outbreak began, the health department has given more than 200 hepatitis A vaccines and more than 130 immune globulin shots.
The health department is operating a hotline to answer questions and give information about the outbreak. Its open until 6 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday. Call 288-7529 for information.
Hepatitis A has a long incubation period, 28 days on average. That's the average length of time that people can harbor the virus and spread it before they know they have it. Also, children can have such a mild case that they can infect others unknowingly and never know they are ill.
That lag time can make it difficult to track.
Seven of the sick people -- three adults and four children -- are relatives. A child from that family spread the disease to kindergarten classmates at Mary Todd Elementary.
The rash of illnesses is considered an outbreak because there are many more cases of hepatitis A than are normally expected. In 2005, two cases were reported in Fayette County.
Hepatitis A attacks the liver and can cause aches, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite and yellow skin and eyes. It is caused by putting something in the mouth that is contaminated with the fecal matter of a person with the disease. Frequent hand washing is critical to prevention.
