Vaccine Spared Many Kids from Frozen Berry Hepatitis A Outbreak

 

The hepatitis A vaccine is given to children twice. Among 61 reported cases of hepatitis A induced by the contaminated frozen berry, only one is a child. 

 

The hepatitis A virus continues to spread in the country with seven states already infected-- Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. 

Costco already announced recalls of the contaminated product Organic Antioxidant Blend Frozen Berry and Pomegranate Mix but since this contagious virus usually manifests two to four weeks after exposure, the manufacturer and medical society is expecting more cases

Children are at high risk to catching the disease and the symptoms will be noticeable the earliest time possible. In fact, the health officials were expecting more cases of children infected as frozen berries were normally served to children as smoothies or popsicles. However, the outbreak denied their expectation. Only one out of 61 people is a two-year old child.

John Ward, director of the hepatitis program at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told USA Today gives credit to the routine hepatitis A vaccination that started 2006 for sparing the children from the outbreak. 

“The very, very small number of children involved in this outbreak probably reflects the high vaccination coverage as the result of the routine immunization.”

The two-year old child who got infected by the virus did not receive any vaccination which left him vulnerable. CDC suggests vaccination for all children 12 through 23 months of age especially if they are traveling overseas where the virus is high such as Central or South America, Mexico, Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

The vaccination is usually covered by insurance but regular price if you don’t have insurance can range from $60 to $70 for two doses according to Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health in Iowa.

According to WHO, about 1.4 million cases of this virus is reported each year associated with poor sanitation and lack of safe water. 90 percent of the cases occur in children below 10 years old.