The following materials are for use by local and regional health departments in Texas to address hepatitis A. Most of the documents come in .doc format for easy modification as needed by each jurisdiction. Documents intended for the public (as opposed to healthcare professionals) are available in Spanish.
Hepatitis A Fact Sheet:
The target population for the fact sheet is the general public. Use the handout at conferences, give it to cases and contacts, to patients by physicians, and place it on websites. Find the fact sheet online at:
Letter to Physicians (Health Alert): Health Alert Letter (.doc)
Once identifying an outbreak or common/large exposure, it is vital to notify local area physicians and hospitals as soon as possible. There are many purposes for this letter:
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To reduce transmission of hepatitis A during an outbreak or common/large exposure by raising the physician’s index of suspicion for hepatitis A. This helps identify patients.
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To ensure complete and prompt reporting by healthcare providers.
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To ensure appropriate testing and prophylaxis of hepatitis A suspects and contacts and appropriate exclusion from school/work for cases.
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To remind healthcare providers of the importance of vaccinating patients appropriately.
You may edit the letter to accommodate the specific situation or audience (e.g., in an under-vaccinated community, the immunizations piece may be the most critical).
Send the letter on local health authority/local health department letterhead whenever possible. It's recommended that during an outbreak or common/large exposure, all pediatricians, family practice physicians, internists, infectious disease physicians, nurse practitioners, general practitioners, gastroenterologists, obstetricians/gynecologists, hospitals, and urgent care facilities within the local jurisdiction be notified of the outbreak or common /large exposure. Do not limit the scope of the alert to a small geographic area (zip code, school district, etc.) because many clients travel outside of their residential area to visit their physician of choice. In some cases, the regional office may need to send out letters to surrounding counties. Please let your DSHS regional office and central office know if you distribute a health alert.
Hepatitis A Vaccine Recommendations: English Spanish
Include this notice with the letter to physicians, as a handout to the public, or on the web. This handout is primarily for healthcare providers but can be used to provide summary hepatitis A vaccine information to anyone interested. The source for the content of this handout is from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5507a1.htm.
Notification Letter: English Spanish singular form Spanish plural form
The letter informs people about potential exposure to hepatitis A. Letters should:
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Notify about the potential exposure,
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Educate on how to recognize signs and symptoms of hepatitis A,
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Provide information about vaccination and prophylaxis
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Provide information about how to protect selves.
Exposed facilities and/or the local health authority/local health department can send this letter. Please note there are two versions in Spanish. Use the singular version when there has been a single-person exposure in a household. Use the plural version when there has been a family or multiple household member exposure.
Hepatitis A Press Release: News organizations will run stories about hepatitis A during outbreaks or common/large exposures. The document provides some suggestions for key points to include in a press release or news story. You can find many example articles by conducting an internet search on hepatitis A. If you plan to issue a press release, please share a copy with your DSHS regional office and central office, as we may also receive media questions.
