MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Hepatitis “A” outbreak in Chile.

A 32% increase in hepatitis “A” cases during the first five months of 2003 compared to a year ago has caused great concern among Chilean sanitary authorities who are seriously considering a massive vaccination campaign.

According to Chile's Public Health Ministry statistics between January and May 2003, 5,191 cases of hepatitis A were reported in the country, in what seems a continuation of an August 2002 outbreak that is expected to last until next September.

Dr. Fernando Muñóz head of the Regulation Control of the Ministry of Public Health indicated that the outbreak should decrease towards the end of the year, although the number of cases in winter months is considered "surprising".

"We hope the outbreak of hepatitis to begin decreasing towards the end of the year, but we're surprised at the high rate of incidence during the whole year. We're still waiting for the winter decrease as happened in 2002, but actually the number of cases has gone up", said Dr. Muñoz who admits the Chilean government is assessing a massive vaccination campaign.

"Internationally massive hepatitis vaccination campaigns are not recommended but rather limited to the areas with the greatest incidence of the disease, and in this framework massive could mean a whole county, neighbourhood".

However the president of the Chilean Medical College, Dr. Juan Luis Castro publicly announced this Sunday that Chile faces a "serious hepatitis epidemic" that so far includes 5,500 cases but could easily extend to 13,000/15,000 cases by the end of the year.

"It is urgent to vaccinate all children, particularly the most vulnerable, school children between the age of four and five, and the adolescents", indicated Dr. Castro.

The president of the Chilean Medial College stressed that the situation is particularly serious in the south of metropolitan Santiago where there's virtually no sewage and the local population is exposed to a growing risk from contaminated vegetables.

Dr. Castro pointed out that Chilean health authorities are not totally convinced of a massive vaccination campaign because cases should diminish in spring and summer, but the "latest scientific data indicates they will actually increase".

Interviewed by the Chilean press Dr. Muñoz said that it's common for Chile to experience a hepatitis outbreak every ten years, "since the vaccine immunity coincides with that period".

In an official release the Chilean Health Ministry said the highest hepatitis incidence was in the south of metropolitan Santiago with 64,2 cases in 100,000 population. West metropolitan Santiago follows with a 51,9 incidence in 100.000 population.

Nevertheless Chilean Public Health Under Secretary Antonio Infante claims that there's "strong pressure on paediatricians in the high areas of Santiago (richest neighbourhoods) for a massive vaccination campaign".

"We're cautious about these pressures, and this also leads us to think that some laboratories are pushing for vaccines as a precaution against hepatitis "A"", said Mr. Infante who admitted that the outbreak could be considered an "epidemic", but also insisted that precautionary measures and greater personal hygiene "will help impede the contagion spread".

"If we reach an immunization scenario it will only include children and adolescents", highlighted Deputy Minister Infante.