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Issue Number 9
June 4, 1998
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
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Need hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, and G information? Then make CDC's
Hepatitis Branch website your first stop!
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Three unvaccinated children die of varicella-related deaths
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24-hour emergency hotline answers clinicians' questions on exposures
to blood borne
diseases
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New video available to teach teens about liver wellness and protection
against
hepatitis B
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(1)
June 4, 1998
NEED HEPATITIS A, B, C, D, E, and G INFORMATION? THEN MAKE
CDC'S HEPATITIS BRANCH WEBSITE YOUR FIRST STOP!
The Hepatitis Branch's website is filled with valuable information AND is easy to
navigate! The web address is http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/index.htm
Some of the valuable documents you will find at this site are: "Questions and Answers
on Hepatitis B and the Safety of Hepatitis B Vaccine"; a brochure called
"Protect Your Baby with Hepatitis B Shots"; slide sets called "Epidemiology
and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis"; information about a consultants' meeting to
update recommendations for the prevention and control of hepatitis C virus infection; a
resource center that includes surveillance reports, hepatitis C documents; and much more!
Check it out!
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(2)
June 4, 1998
THREE UNVACCINATED CHILDREN DIE OF VARICELLA-RELATED DEATHS
Three fatal cases of varicella (chickenpox) that occurred in children during 1997 were
reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the Texas and Iowa
Departments of Public Health during the first quarter of 1998. These three case histories
are discussed in detail in the May 15, 1998, issue of MMWR. Also discussed in this article
are the national coverage levels for varicella vaccination among children aged 19-35
months (25% during March-June 1997); barriers to the use of varicella vaccine; the
importance of varicella surveillance; and information to encourage health care
professionals to increase their efforts to routinely vaccinate and catch-up children who
need to be protected against varicella. To obtain the MMWR on the Internet, click here: http://www2.cdc.gov/mmwr/
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(3)
June 4, 1998
24-HOUR EMERGENCY HOTLINE ANSWERS CLINICIANS' QUESTIONS ON EXPOSURES TO BLOOD BORNE
DISEASES
Health care workers are often exposed through occupational accidents to HIV, hepatitis,
and other blood borne diseases. Studies have found that prompt treatment after
exposures can reduce the number of persons who actually become infected from these
accidents. A new 24-hour emergency hotline has opened to help provide prompt and
appropriate treatment information to clinicians who need advice on treating health care
workers who have suffered occupational exposures to blood. The National Clinicians'
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPLine) is open 7 days a week by calling 888-448-4911
and offers clinicians up-to-the minute advice on managing occupational exposures to HIV,
hepatitis, and other blood-borne pathogens. This service is free.
Callers to PEPLine will receive immediate advice from physicians, clinical pharmacists, or
nurse practitioners from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm (Pacific Time) Monday - Friday. Emergency
calls made at night and on weekends and holidays will be forwarded to an on-call
clinician. Non-emergency calls will be returned during business hours.
The PEPLine experts will help callers assess their patients' risks, discuss the current
post-exposure prophylaxis protocols, and review specific treatment and follow-up options.
Written materials expanding on the telephone discussion will be sent when needed.
The PEPLine is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the San Francisco
Department of Health and the University of California San Francisco.
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(4)
June 4, 1998
NEW VIDEO AVAILABLE TO TEACH TEENS ABOUT LIVER WELLNESS AND PROTECTION AGAINST HEPATITIS B VIRUS
"Teens Talking to Teens About Liver Wellness" is the focus of the Hepatitis
Foundation International's (HFI) new video. Full of action and animation, the 8-minute
video shows how the liver works and what happens to it when it is attacked by hepatitis
viruses, drugs, and/or alcohol. To obtain a copy of the video, send a check for $35 or
your credit card information to HFI, 30 Sunrise Terrace, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. For
more information call 800-891-0707. |
