The Florida Department of Health Recognizes October as Liver Awareness Month

Free Hepatitis Vaccine Offered to At-Risk Adults

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) Hepatitis Prevention Program recognizes October as Liver Awareness Month. Over 25 million Americans, or one in every 10, are affected by some form of liver disease. The goal of Liver Awareness Month is to educate people on the liver’s function and to explain health problems associated with the liver.

"The liver plays an important role in filtering substances we ingest into our bodies, including aiding in digestion, changing food into energy, removing toxins and regulating chemicals in the blood," State Surgeon General Ana M. Viamonte Ros, M.D., M.P.H. said. "Because the liver is vital to sustaining life, Floridians should educate themselves on the preventative aspects of liver disease."

The liver is the largest internal organ, weighing about three pounds, and the only organ that can regenerate itself. Some of the most frequently diagnosed liver diseases are hepatitis, cirrhosis, and fatty liver. Hepatitis is characterized by inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis A, B and C are the most common types of viral hepatitis in the United States. Symptoms of hepatitis, when present, include nausea, fever, weakness, loss of appetite and jaundice.

View a list of Free Hepatitis Vaccine Contacts by County.

You qualify for a free vaccination if:

• You are 18 years of age or older
• You are Hepatitis C (HCV) positive
• You are HIV positive
• You have ever used IV or other illegal drugs (even once, years ago)
• You are a man who has sex with men (MSM)
• You have multiple sex partners
• You have a history of sexually transmitted diseases
• You are a current drug user
• You have household/sexual contact with a hepatitis positive person
• You have a history of jail or prison

Those at risk for hepatitis A include:

• Close contacts of infected individuals
• Travelers to countries where hepatitis A is common
• Sexually active male homosexuals
• Injection drug users

Those at risk for hepatitis B include:

• Sexual partners of infected individuals
• People sharing needles
• Babies born to infected mothers
• Anyone with blood-to-blood contact with an infected person

Those at risk for hepatitis C include:

• Blood transfusion recipients before 1992
• People sharing needles
• Individuals accidentally exposed to blood or used needles

It is estimated that over four million Americans and over 300,000 Floridians are infected with the hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C is called the "silent epidemic" because most people have no symptoms and do not know they are infected. The disease often lies undetected for 20-30 years and is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver failure.

Throughout the year, especially during October, the DOH Hepatitis Prevention Program and local county health departments promote awareness activities, including free hepatitis A and B vaccines, hepatitis B and C laboratory testing for adults at increased risk of infection and educational materials about hepatitis prevention.

DOH promotes and protects the health and safety of all people in Florida through the delivery of quality public health services and the promotion of health care standards. For more information about Liver Awareness Month and related DOH programs, please visit www.doh.state.fl.us/Disease_ctrl/aids/hep/index.html.