NYHOMESTUDY BLOG

July 19, 2007,

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) has recently received reports of hepatitis A in children and
adults linked to adoptees from Ethiopia. Hepatitis A is a liver
disease caused by the hepatitis A virus.

Symptoms usually occur abruptly and include fatigue, abdominal pain,
loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes),
and diarrhea. Jaundice is common in adults but rare in children. Most
children under the age of 6 years do not get sick from the infection,
but can spread it to older children and adults, who often become ill.
Older persons and persons with chronic liver disease can have more
serious illness. The overall mortality rate from hepatitis A is 0.3%,
but it is 1.8% among persons aged ≥ 50 years. Symptoms generally
last up to 2 months; there is no chronic (long-term) form of the disease.
The virus is found in the stool (feces) of persons with hepatitis A.
It is usually spread from person to person by putting something in the
mouth that has been contaminated with stool. Frequent hand washing
with soap and water, particularly after using the bathroom, changing a
diaper, and before preparing or eating food, is very important in
preventing the spread of hepatitis A. To prevent hepatitis A virus
infections, CDC recommends that travelers to areas with high rates of
hepatitis A, including Ethiopia, receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon
as travel is considered. CDC also recommends that all children ≥ 1
year of age receive the hepatitis A vaccine.
Other household members and caregivers of children adopted from
Ethiopia should consider being vaccinated before adopted children are
brought to the United States.

Adopted children, household members or other persons experiencing
symptoms of hepatitis A should contact a health-care provider for an evaluation.
Persons exposed to hepatitis A who have not been previously immunized
should contact their health-care provider or local health department
to determine if they should receive an immunization or immunoglobulin
that might prevent the illness. More information about hepatitis A is
available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/.
CDC recommends that all international travelers consult a travel
health-care provider 4-6 weeks prior to travel to determine if any
other measures, such as immunizations or medications, are indicated
for the planned itinerary. Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as
measles and mumps, are still common in many parts of the world,
including developed countries. The CDC website

(http://www.cdc.gov/travel/) has a specific section for Traveling with
Children, which includes general health advice for international
adoptees and their adoptive parents, and Travel Notices, which describe current disease information of interest to travelers.

Sincerely,
Hague Implementation Staff
U.S. Central Authority
Department of State

Note: We at NY Home Study are sending this notice to you, (the reader) in the belief that this information may be of interest to you.