Vargas Bill Seeks to Immunize California Children Against Hepatitis A

[Guest guest]

Important First Step to Protecting Children and Families

From Serious and Highly Contagious Liver Disease

February 14, 2001

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego Assembly member Vargas

(D-79th District) today announced the introduction of a bill (AB 182) that

would require routine hepatitis A vaccination for all children entering

kindergarten statewide. California represents one-quarter of the United

States' hepatitis A burden and is one of 11 states identified by the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where the rate of hepatitis A is

greater than twice the national average.

Affecting more than 180,000 Americans each year, hepatitis A has been

identified by the CDC as one of the most prevalent vaccine-preventable

diseases in the United States today. Assemblymember Vargas is supported on

the legislation by Assemblymember Dean Florez (D-30th District), Senator

Dede Alpert (D-San Diego) and Senator Steve Peace (D-El Cajon).

" Having been designated one of the highest risk states for hepatitis A,

California needs to take this disease very seriously, " said Assemblymember

Vargas. " We have vaccines that make hepatitis A a completely preventable

disease, and through routine immunization of at-risk children, we are

working towards stopping the spread of this disease in California and the

entire nation. "

In response to the high frequency of community-wide outbreaks in California,

an advisory body to the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the

American Academy of Family Physicians recommend that California implement

routine hepatitis A immunization programs for children to reduce disease

burden.

" The American Liver Foundation applauds Assemblymember Vargas for taking

this crucial step to protect California's children and families from

hepatitis A, " said Philip Rosenthal, MD, President of the Northern

California chapter of the American Liver Foundation and professor of

pediatrics and surgery, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

School of Medicine. " As a California physician and parent, I strongly

support this measure and encourage the legislature to pass and implement

this important bill to protect the residents of California against this

serious, vaccine-preventable liver disease. "

Hepatitis A: An Unnecessary Physical and Economic Burden

Hepatitis A -- a highly contagious viral infection of the liver -- occurs

with the highest frequency in children 5-14 years of age, with almost 30

percent of reported cases occurring among children younger than 15 years of

age. While young children often experience mild or asymptomatic infection

with hepatitis A, they easily transmit the disease to older children and

adults who are likely to develop severe symptoms. In fact, nearly 25 percent

of adult patients require hospitalization and approximately 100 people die

unnecessarily every year from hepatitis A in the United States.

Hepatitis A is spread by the fecal-oral route through close person-to-person

contact or ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A symptoms can

be debilitating and include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea,

abdominal discomfort, jaundice and dark urine. Infected individuals can

unknowingly infect others two weeks prior to feeling ill themselves.

The disease is also a significant drain on the United States economy,

costing more than $488 million annually.(1) According to recent studies,

universal hepatitis A vaccination of more than half a million children age

two years in California would prevent 17,096 infections and 2,155 hospital

admissions, save 2,028 years of life and decrease lifetime hepatitis A

treatment costs by more than $12 million.(2)

Majority of Californians Do Not Understand Hepatitis A

According to a survey conducted by the American Liver Foundation, more than

one-half of Californians do not even know that hepatitis A affects the

liver. The survey of 2,000 Californians also found that 4 out of 5 residents

have not been immunized against this vaccine-preventable disease.

Furthermore, two-thirds (63 percent) of all Californians do not know that

hepatitis A is easily spread from children to adults, and most (72 percent)

do not know that hepatitis A can be contracted while changing a child's

diaper.

" Californians need to be protected from hepatitis A infection, " added

Assembly member Vargas. " Sponsoring AB 182 reinforces my commitment to

protecting California's children. "

1. Berge JJ, Drennan DP, s RJ, et al. The cost of hepatitis A

infections in American adolescents and adults in 1997. Hepatology.

2000; 31 (2): 469-473.

2. s JR. The cost effectiveness of universal childhood vaccination

against hepatitis A virus (HAV) in California. 2000.

SOURCE Assemblyman Vargas' Office

CONTACT: , 212-798-9769, for Assemblyman Vargas' Office