Adair County Health Department

May 2024

Welcome to another monthly segment of our “Medical Director’s Corner” where we address public and personal health and wellness topics for our community. As I write this, many of our partnering community organizations have been discussing a very important topic for May awareness month which is mental health. I first want to say thank you to our local, state and national organizations that take up this important topic. Mental health impacts all aspects of our lives and is often not discussed due to the stigma surrounding it. Many people don’t seek care for their mental health issues due to fear of being treated differently, labeled or even passed up when job hunting. These barriers are important to address and thankfully we have local advocacy groups and organizations in Adair County that help us. Since those topics have been discussed recently in the news, I’d l like to discuss another May awareness topic, which can be seen in persons struggling with mental health disorders and drug use:  hepatitis.

Hepatitis is a generic term meaning inflammation of the liver. There are many causes of hepatitis, but we will focus on viral hepatitis as this is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and liver failure, second to fatty liver disease and alcohol abuse, in the United States. There are 5 different hepatitis viruses, but we will focus on Hepatitis A, B and C today as they are the most common in the US.

Hepatitis A is spread typically through contaminated food products with fecal matter. This is usually by someone who has Hepatitis A not washing hands thoroughly and handling food that another person consumes. This is a self-limiting disease with symptoms of nausea, fatigue, stomach pain and jaundice lasting only a few days to months. The Adair County Health Department helps reduce the spread of Hepatitis A by routine restaurant inspections and investigating any reported Hepatitis A positive lab results.  The best way to avoid getting Hepatitis A is to get vaccinated against the disease.

Hepatitis B is spread through contact with blood, semen or during pregnancy. In the United States it is most commonly spread through sharing contaminated needles or sex. Not everyone who contracts Hepatitis B has symptoms, but they can be fatigue, poor appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice. Hepatitis B virus can become a chronic disease for some, leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. There is no cure for Hepatitis B however there are medications that can suppress the virus to reduce liver inflammation. Avoiding intravenous drug use, practicing barrier protection during sex and getting vaccinated are the best ways to prevent Hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis C is the most common hepatitis virus in the United States. It is estimated about 2.7-3.9 million people in the United States have chronic Hepatitis C. Most people are unaware they have the infection. Hepatitis C is contracted through contract with blood from an infected person. The most common mode of transmission in the US is through intranasal and intravenous drug use. Most people do not know they have been infected until they have advanced liver disease. Chronic infection can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The best way to reduce transmission risk is to avoid those behaviors that can transmit the disease and if those behaviors are present getting screened regularly. There are no vaccinations to protect against Hepatitis C but there are medications that can cure it.

If you are a person that has chronic Hepatitis B or C, make sure you see a physician the specializes in the monitoring and treatment these diseases like me. If you do not know your vaccination status or want to be screened, the Adair County Health Department offers vaccinations against Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B in addition to screening for these diseases so make an appointment today to see us!