Hepatitis A epidemic expected in April

Health officials yesterday warned of a possible epidemic of hepatitis A in April, recommending high-risk groups to get vaccinated against the disease on time.

Hepatitis A, an infectious disease of the liver, is considered one of the most rampant diseases in recent years here.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of people suffered from the disease back in 2004.

However, the number of sufferers surged to 15,041 last year, a 91 percent increase from 2008.

The disease control agency said that nearly 80 percent of the patients were in their 20s and 30s. Children usually have antibodies after having recovered from the flu-like disease. But today`s young adults have had no opportunity to form an immune system, with hygienic conditions improving here.

Compared with hepatitis B and C, which could develop into liver cancer, the type A shows a relatively low fatality rate.

However, with the recent surge in the number of patients, there have been some severe cases, including 20 deaths last year, officials said.

The Korean Nurse Association had warned that the number of hepatitis A patients would reach 30,000 this year if the disease spreads at the current speed.



"Considering the 30-day incubation period of the virus, liver patients in their teens to 30s, long-term residents in developing countries and babies are recommended to be inoculated by early next month," said a KCDC official.

"The disease can spread via contaminated foods or drinking water. Individuals need to pay careful attention to private hygiene and to avoid eating uncooked food."

In preparation for the vaccinations, the government plans to secure about 3.85 miion doses of the vaccine within the year.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration has also shortened the 45-day approval period of the vaccine into 30 days for an earlier supply.

Following an international advisory committee meeting in October, the KCDC decided to include the hepatitis A vaccine into the mandatory vaccines for young children from 2011.

The government will designate hepatitis A as one of the top priority infectious diseases from next year. In that case, people would be required to report their infection to health officials and the monitoring on infected cases would be tightened.

(jylee@heraldm.com)



By Lee Ji-yoon