Number of Hepatitis Cases Climbs
Pastor Dale Morgan
Number of Hepatitis Cases Climbs*
Posted Wednesday, January 16, 2008 ; 07:07 PM
BECKLEY -- Hepatitis is on the rise in southern West Virginia according
to health experts.
Officials say there is a link between the amount of IV drug users and
the disease.
Brian Bell is an epidemiologist.
He says the number of hepatitis B cases reported is on the rise.
In 2002 there were 9 cases reported, in 2006 there were 42.
Those numbers are expected to continue to climb.
Bell says the number of cases is rising because there are more
needle-drug users in the area, and because there are improved methods
for monitoring the illness.
He says Hepatitis B is treatable.
There is a vaccine for Hepatitis B, but there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C.
Kathy Armentrout is the associate director at FMRS Health Systems. The
clinic offers group and individual couseling for recovering addicts.
Armentrout says there has also been an increase in the number of people
coming for counseling that are addicted to an IV drug or shooting up,
any of them are dealing with Hepatitis B.
Health experts say Hepatitis B is more contagious than HIV because the
virus can survive outside of the body for a month. FMRS helps low income
people in need of help.
For more information you can call them at 256-7100.