Vaccination in the county jail as a strategy to reach high risk adults during a community-based hepatitis A outbreak among methamphetamine drug users.
Illicit drug use (IDU) is an important risk factor for hepatitis A, but implementing vaccination programs among drug users is difficult. During January 2001-July 2002, 403 hepatitis A cases were reported in Polk County, Florida; 48% were drug users and of these, 80% were recently in jail. To assess the county jail as a potential vaccination venue, we interviewed 280 inmates and conducted a serologic survey during July--August 2002. Of these, 227 (81%) reported a past IDU history. Previous HAV infection was found in 33%. In communities with illicit drug users at risk for hepatitis A and who are frequently jailed, vaccination programs in jails could be an important component of a community-based strategy to control hepatitis A outbreaks among illicit drug users.
Vong
Sirenda
S
Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop D-66, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. svong@pasteur-kh.org
Fiore
Anthony E
AE
Haight
Daniel O
DO
Li
Jinfeng
J
Borgsmiller
Nancy
N
Kuhnert
Wendi
W
Pinero
Frances
F
Boaz
Kathy
K
Badsgard
Tracy
T
Mancini
Carmela
C
Nainan
Omana V
OV
Wiersma
Steven
S
Bell
Beth P
BP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
D008694:Methamphetamine