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Learning Objective:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:
Identify strategies to reach the homeless and IDU population.
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:Describe the outcome of hepatitis A infection superinfecton.
Background:
Between October 2004 and January 2005, a cluster of 24 laboratory-confirmed cases of hepatitis A was reported in a city on the Texas-Mexico border. Investigation revealed that 16 of the 24 patients had a history of injecting and/or non-injecting drug use during the 2-6 weeks preceding symptom onset; an additional case patient had an association with a drug user. Two of the drug-related case patients had a recent history of international travel. Five of the drug-using case patients were homeless, and at least eight frequented a hotel and abandoned building where sex and drugs were shared. The median age of the cases was 33 years with 76 percent males. About two-thirds of case patients were hospitalized. Ten of the 17 drug-related case patients also had hepatitis C infection.
Setting:
A mid-sized city on the Texas-Mexico border.
Population e.g. API Youth, MSM, IDU:
IDU and non-injecting drug users, prostitutes, and homeless individuals.
Project Description:
HIV outreach staffed conducted a census of homeless individuals, located individuals for vaccine and Ig prophylaxis, provide educational materials and counseling in the community.
The local health department administered immune globulin and hepatitis A vaccine to close contacts as well as offer vaccine to all identified homeless persons, IDUs, and prostitutes within the city.
Results/Lessons Learned:
None of the patients in this cluster died from complications of hepatitis A superinfection.
There was an initial reluctance of identify drugs as the vehicle for transmission.
The HIV outreach staff was invaluable in reaching and educating this fluid, high-risk population.
See more of I4 - Impact of Hepatitis in Frontier Settings
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference