Hepatitis A Case Confirmed At Oakland County Jail

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — A male inmate housed at the Oakland County Jail has a case of Hepatitis A. County officials Friday confirmed the case and warned prisoners housed at the jail between May 8 - 23 and May 23 should call the Oakland County Health Division to determine potential exposure.

“We are taking great strides to contact anyone with possible exposure during this period of time,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement. “We are focused on combined efforts with the Health Division to ensure all steps are taken to protect the inmate population, our employees, and anyone else who came into contact with this individual.”

Bouchard said areas where the inmate was housed have been sanitized. “The jail population often comes with significant health issues, such as cases of AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis,” he added. “As soon as we became aware of an inmate potentially with hepatitis, the information was investigated and confirmed. We contacted the Health Division for assistance in assuring proper protocols, and efforts were immediately put into action.”

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by a virus shed in feces and most commonly spread from person to person by contaminated hands, according to the Oakland County Health Department. Symptoms include sudden abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, headache, dark urine, light-colored bowel movements, and vomiting, followed by yellowing of the skin and eyes. Symptoms may appear from two to six weeks after exposure, with the average time being about one month.

Sickness can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. In rare cases of Hepatitis A infection, those with a pre-existing severe illness or a compromised immune system can progress to liver failure, the county health department said in a statement.

“Hepatitis A is contagious but can be prevented with vaccination if given within 14 days of last exposure,” Oakland County Health Officer Leigh-Anne Stafford said in a statement. “Our Pontiac clinic and Nurse on Call phone line will be open until 6:30 p.m. tonight and on Saturday, May 27, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. for vaccinations and to answer any questions related to Hepatitis A.”

The Pontiac clinic is located at 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East. The Hepatitis A vaccine may also be available at some health providers, CVS Minute Clinics, and pharmacies.

Residents can call Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 to be assessed for vaccination and advised of the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis A. Regular hours for Nurse on Call are 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Health Division payment options include cash, Visa, MasterCard, some health insurances, Medicare, and/or Medicaid (no checks or money orders). Credit card fees apply, the county said in its news release. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program offers vaccines at no cost for eligible children up to 18-years-old.

Photo by Michael Coghlan