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Date: May 11, 2015
Contact:
Leslie Piotrowski
(847) 377-8055
Carolyn Waller
(847) 377-8099
In observance of National Hepatitis
Testing Day, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center
(LCHD/CHC) will host a free hepatitis health fair in conjunction with Abbvie,
Orasure Technologies, Walgreens, Salix Pharmaceuticals, American Liver
Foundation Great Lakes Division, the YWCA Lake County, GlenLake Nursing and
Rehabilitation Center and the Lake County Stands Against Stigma Coalition. The
event will take place on Tuesday, May 19, in the lobby of the County Building,
18 N. County Street in Waukegan, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention is recommending that everyone born between 1945 and 1965, in the
Baby Boomers generation, get a blood test for hepatitis C. This recommendation
calls for one-time testing of Baby Boomers.
Program staff will provide
information and education about hepatitis B and C prevention, care and
treatment. Free blood pressure screenings will be offered. Participants can also receive general
information related to overall health and wellbeing. Free hepatitis C and HIV
tests will also be offered at the LCHD/CHC Sexually Transmitted Infections program’s
(STI) office the day of the event at 2400 Belvidere Road in Waukegan. Please
call 847-377-8450 for more information.
The LCHD/CHC STI program provides
counseling and resources, as well as a monthly support group for people
infected with hepatitis C.
Health
officials estimate that one in 12 people worldwide is living with either
chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C, and that one in three people has been
exposed to both viruses. Hepatitis can
be spread by:
- Sharing needles, syringes,
or other equipment to inject drugs and needle stick injuries.
- Sharing personal care
items that have come in contact with another person’s blood, such as
razors or toothbrushes.
- Having sexual contact with
an infected person.
Symptoms of
hepatitis C, which include yellowing of the skin or eyes, loss of appetite,
nausea and vomiting, fever, extreme fatigue and stomach pain, can take up to 20
years to appear; many people live with the infection but are unaware of their
status. Chronic hepatitis C is a serious disease that can result in long-term
health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even
death. It is the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer and the most common
reason for liver transplantation in the United States. Hepatitis C can be
successfully treated with medications and cured. Currently, there are
vaccines available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but not for hepatitis
C.
The Sexually Transmitted Infections program, along with several other programs,
is working to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases in alignment with the
Health Department’s strategic plan goals. Located at 2400 Belvidere Road in Waukegan, it
offers sexually transmitted infections screening, treatment and hepatitis
vaccines; other services including counseling, education, free and confidential
HIV testing, educational based support/talk groups; and outreach. For
additional information or to make an appointment, call: (847) 377-8450 or
visit: http://health.lakecountyil.gov/Population/Pages/Sexually-Transmitted-InfectionHIV-Prevention.aspx.
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