may is viral hepatitis month
Each May, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its agencies, join with non-federal and community organizations to raise awareness of viral hepatitis during Hepatitis Awareness Month.
Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can become chronic, life-long infections which can lead to liver cancer. Millions of people are living with chronic viral hepatitis, and many do not know they are infected.
The word “hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is most often caused by one of several viruses. Hepatitis Awareness Month provides an excellent opportunity to review the different hepatitis viruses.
Review of Hepatitis B (HBV)
HBV is transmitted through activities that involve percutaneous or mucosal contact with infectious blood or body fluids (e.g., semen, saliva), including:
- Sex with an infected partner
- Injection drug use that involves sharing needles, syringes, or drug-preparation equipment
- Birth to an infected mother
- Contact with blood or open sores of an infected person
- Needle sticks or sharp instrument exposures
- Sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person
HBV is not spread through food or water, sharing utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, hand holding, coughing, or sneezing. HBV can survive outside the body for at least 7 days and still be capable of causing infection.
Recommendations for Hospitals – Employees Health
Because of the risk of HBV transmission via needle sticks or sharp instrument exposures, hospitals should have a Hepatitis B vaccine program in place.
Key aspects of such a program include:
- Offering the hepatitis B vaccine, free of charge, to all at-risk employees.
- Determining at-risk employees based on their category-of-work assignment.
- Documenting that the employee has been offered and received the hepatitis B vaccination and maintaining such documentation in the employee’s personnel file.
- If the employee has declined the vaccine, the declination form should also be kept in the personnel file.
