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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Public health officials at every level of government are encouraging Americans – especially the baby boomer generation – to proactively pursue screening for hepatitis C, a measure that’s estimated to save hundreds of thousands of lives in the decades to come.
In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta released final recommendations urging all U.S. baby boomers – born from 1945 to 1965 – to get a one-time test for the hepatitis C virus, in an effort to protect that generation’s health and save lives.
The reason: one in 30 baby boomers has been infected with hepatitis C – often decades ago, specifically, the 1970s and 1980s, when infection rates were highest – and are not aware of it, don’t perceive themselves to be at risk and haven’t been screened, the federal health agency said.
The CDC estimated that more than 2 million baby boomers are infected by the disease, which accounts for more than 75 percent of all American adults living with hepatitis C.
It’s expected that the recommended one-time tests for all baby boomers – not just testing based on risk factors, as the CDC previously had recommended – could identify more than 800,000 additional people with hepatitis C, saving 120,000 lives or more.
Hepatitis C causes serious liver diseases, including liver cancer – the fastest-rising cause of cancer-related deaths – and is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States, the CDC said.
According to the agency’s statistics, more than 15,000 Americans – most of them baby boomers – die each year from hepatitis C-related illnesses.
Identifying those infected with the disease can lead to successful treatment – including therapies that can cure an estimated 75 percent of infections, the CDC said.
The CDC estimated that incidences of the disease occurring in the United States are far higher than what are actually reported.
As an example, it cited data from 2007, during which 849 acute cases of hepatitis C were reported nationwide. However, the CDC estimated that the number was far higher – in the range of 17,000 cases.
The California Department of Public Health supports the new recommendations and encourages baby boomers to talk to their doctors about getting tested for hepatitis C, said agency spokesman Ralph Montano.
Montano said the California Department of Public Health is currently working on a report summarizing data on reported cases of hepatitis C from 2007-2011.
Detailed information will be available in the viral hepatitis surveillance report for 2007-2011, which will be available for public distribution by the end of 2012, Montano said.
Data challenges for public health officials
Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait said CDC’s screening recommended is a good idea. Otherwise, she said cases can go undetected even if liver function tests are measured, because those tests can appear normal. “Damage to the liver can occur slowly and insidiously,” she said.
One of the challenges for public health has been having accurate data on how many Americans have hepatitis C, said Tait, who suggested that one of the additional benefits of having baby boomers tested could be having a more accurate picture of the nation’s active caseload.
Tait said it’s just as hard to get a handle on Lake County’s hepatitis C numbers. She said there were 112 chronic hepatitis C cases reported in Lake County in 2010, which reflects the cases of people who lived in Lake County at the time of initial diagnosis of their infection.
However, Tait cautioned that such data has its limitations, and it’s hard to translate those numbers into the case load that lives in the county because some of the people may have moved away or died.
“Although we receive regular reports enough to say that there is a lot of hepatitis C that has been diagnosed and is being followed here in Lake County, the data is very inaccurate,” Tait said. “I've discussed this with the state and they agree that the data is inaccurate at all levels. This is the result of changing testing methodologies over the years and changing criteria for calling someone a ‘case.’”
She said she discovered the inaccuracies in data in the course of trying to understand how the disease’s numbers used to be reported.
“I think the reporting issues are probably nationwide because they’ve been the same for everybody over the years,” she said.
One of the unknowns for Lake County is how hepatitis C is related to the high rate of liver disease reported in the county over the past decade.
The 2011 Lake County Health Needs Assessment pointed out that in 2003, a key sample year, Lake County’s rate of death due to cirrhosis of the liver was five times higher than the statewide rate, and noted that hepatitis C could be a major cause of cirrhosis.
Tait said the health needs assessment’s statement about hepatitis C’s possible impact on local cirrhosis cases was “speculative.”
“We have issues of substance abuse that we know contribute to liver disease,” including both drugs and alcohol, Tait said.
Alcohol use on top of having hepatitis C, Tait added, worsens the disease’s progression.
Education remains crucial
Tait said the information about how hepatitis C is transmitted is far better now and more complete than what was available to baby boomers.
Public health also has developed better measures for cutting off transmission. Blood bank screening has helped interrupt what Tait called “a major mode of transmission in the past.”
While the disease can be sexually transmitted, such transmission isn’t efficient, Tait said.
The CDC said injection drug use currently is the most common means of hepatitis C transmission in the United States.
As such, Tait said ongoing educational efforts about risks are critical, particularly for the injection drug-using population – including athletes who use steroids and other performance enhancing substances – as well as those who take part in other practices that result in exposure to infectious blood.
Just one time using a dirty needle is sufficient to transmit the infection. “One slip up can be all that matters,” Tait said. As such, syringe exchange programs attempt to mitigate that risk.
Tait explained that there also is a population where it can’t be determined how they got hepatitis C.
In addition to the danger it poses to individuals, Tait said there is another concern.
“Hepatitis C is the ‘elephant in the room’ when it comes to costs and demands on the health care system down the road, not unlike the consequences we're now beginning to appreciate about obesity and its health impacts on diabetes, diabetic eye and kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and degenerative joint disease,” she said.
For additional information about hepatitis C, visit www.cdc.gov/hepatitis , www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/HCVfaq.htm or www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/ViralHepatitisResources.aspx .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Kelseyville Business Association is proud to present the 19th annual Merchant Open House and Parade of Light on Friday, Dec. 7.
The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Main Street.
This old-fashioned holiday evening has become the perfect way to begin the Christmas season.
At 5:30 p.m. leisurely stroll through town where the merchants open their doors to welcome all with free cocoa or cider, holiday cookies and treats, while Christmas music and holiday scents of bayberry, pine and spiced cider mingle in the crisp winter air.
Before and after the parade enjoy a free mule drawn wagon ride decorated with lights and bells from Eleven Roses Ranch. The relaxed country atmosphere will take you back to the simple beauty of holidays past.
At 6:30 p.m. be prepared for the biggest and best Parade of Lights in Lake County.
Watch Santa start the parade in grand fashion as the dazzling parade delights the young and the young at heart.
Follow the end of the parade down to the Kelseyville Fire House and watch Santa light the now 2-year-old town Christmas Tree.
Santa will walk across the street to Westamerica Bank where the children and families will be entertained with holiday music by David Neft, Lake County’s Music Man, while the little ones wait to sit with Jolly Old St. Nick and ask for that special something.
Dawn Smith, owner of ColorSplash Photos, will take children or family photos. Smith donates all the profits each year to purchase toys for Lake County Foster Children.
Also in Westamerica Bank, Carolyn Morris will have an art display of her painting and prints. They make wonderful gifts. One of her paintings is the poster that is used each year of the Kelseyville Christmas Parade and it captures all the magic of the town.
Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, behind Westamerica Bank, will have the now famous chili and chowder dinner for a small fee to warm all who attend from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., or stop by St Peters Catholic Church on the next block past Westamerica Bank and enjoy hot dogs and beans and other holiday treats.
John’s Market across from Wildhurst Tasting Room will have a barbecue (weather permitting). One block west of Johns Market, the Kelseyville United Methodist Church and Unitarian Universalist Community will have free treats and a choir singing holiday songs; bring some canned food to help support their holiday food baskets for local families in need.
Across the street at Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, stop in and see the miniature quilt display then just a little further down by the bridge, stop in to Kelseyville Pharmacy for homemade cookies and treats and see all the beautiful Christmas ornaments and gifts.
Come and enjoy an old fashioned Christmas in the Country. If it’s raining bring an umbrella.
To participate in the parade contact Mike Linnell at 707-279-4506 or 707-355-0272. For more info about the event contact Mary Morse at 707-279-8559.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new program offered by the Lake County Office of Education will assist veterans and Japanese Americans interned during World War II to complete the process needed to receive their high school diplomas.
The Lake County Office of Education reported that many people in the community were unable to graduate with their high school class due to military service in World War II (Dec. 7, 1941-Dec. 31, 1946), the Korean War (June 25, 1950-Jan. 31, 1955), or the Vietnam War (Feb. 28, 1961-May 7, 1975), or because they were interned in World War II relocation centers for Japanese Americans.
These individuals may now receive their long overdue high school diploma from the Lake County Office of Education Operation Recognition program.
Family members may apply for diplomas on behalf of qualifying persons who are deceased. The diploma recipient or the surviving family member must be current or former residents of Lake County.
“We are honored to offer the Operation Recognition program to recognize those who sacrificed for our country. This program is entirely free, and we hope many individuals and families will take advantage of the opportunity,” said Brock Falkenberg, senior director of human resources at the Lake County Office of Education.
Shelly Mascari of the Lake County Office of Education told Lake County News that this is the first time the program has been offered in Lake County.
She said they are modeling their program after one in Sacramento which receives a “huge” response, so local education officials are optimistic about the chances for success.
Mascari said they already have applicants and interest, and are anticipating a “solid” response.
Form DD214 (or equivalent) or documentation of internment is required to participate in the program.
For assistance in locating discharge papers, contact the Lake County Veterans Service Office at 707-263-2384, 285 N. Main Street, Lakeport.
Applications must be received by April 1, 2013, to qualify for the spring 2013 diploma awards ceremony, which includes a reception for honorees and family members.
For an application, visit www.lakecoe.org and type “Operation Recognition” in the Search option, or contact LCOE Human Resources at 707-262-4151.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A tired driver is a dangerous and potentially deadly driver, and the California Highway Patrol is joining the National Sleep Foundation in a weeklong campaign to educate motorists during “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week,” Nov. 12-18.
“Fatigued drivers are a safety risk on our roadways,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “If you are tired, reaction time and judgment can become impaired. Tired drivers behave similarly to those who are intoxicated.”
According to statistics from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2010, the most recent year in which finalized figures are available, there were more than 3,600 collisions in California involving drowsy drivers.
As a result of those collisions 32 people died and more than 2,000 others were injured, the CHP said.
Drowsiness can reduce reaction time, impair judgment and vision, and impact a driver’s attention.
The CHP and the National Sleep Foundation offer the following tips to drivers to reduce their risk of falling asleep behind the wheel:
- Get enough sleep, at least seven to nine hours, to help maintain alertness.
- On long road trips, schedule breaks every couple of hours or every 100 miles.
- When possible, travel with a companion who can take a turn behind the wheel or help keep the driver awake.
- Avoid driving at times when you would normally be asleep.
- Avoid alcohol or medications that cause drowsiness.
- Consume caffeine as it increases alertness.
- When tiredness sets in, exit the highway and find a safe location to park and rest.
“With a few simple precautions drivers can help prevent future tragedies from occurring,” added Commissioner Farrow.