July 28 is World Hepatitis Day – let our experts help with your coverage

Later this month, countries across the planet will acknowledge World Hepatitis Day in an effort to locate the “missing millions” and one day find a cure for this potentially debilitating and sometimes deadly disease.

“Worldwide, 300 million people are living with viral hepatitis unaware. Without finding the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives will be lost. On World Hepatitis Day, we call on people from across the world to take action and raise awareness to find the ‘missing millions.’” WorldHepatitisDay.org

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 states in the U.S. have seen Hepatitis A outbreaks since 2017, with 22,028 confirmed cases and 216 deaths. Twenty-three of those outbreaks are still considered ongoing, including in Georgia, which has seen two deaths and 487 cases.

• Are you a reporter covering health, infectious diseases or outbreaks?
• Do you need to know more about the signs, symptoms and causes of hepatitis?
• How is it spread, who is most affected and what are the treatments?

There is a lot to learn and that’s where our experts can help.

Dr. Jose Vazquez is Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and AU Medical Center. He studies and treats infectious diseases, including hepatitis. A leader in his field and a go-to expert for media regarding this topic, Dr. Vasquez is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.