World Hepatitis Day is on Wednesday, July 28, and the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) is urging all adults to get tested or vaccinated to reduce the number of new cases of hepatitis A, B and C.

To create awareness, DOH-Pinellas will provide no-cost rapid hepatitis C testing from 8:30 a.m. to noon on July 28 at its St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park centers—no appointment needed. Rapid testing provides results during the same visit.

The St. Petersburg center is located at 205 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. and the newly remodeled Pinellas Park center is at 6350 76th Ave.N.

Hepatitis means “inflammation of the liver.” When this vital organ is inflamed or damaged, it cannot process nutrients, filter blood or fight infections. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are at higher risk of hepatitis C and should consider getting tested.

“There are safe, effective vaccines for hepatitis A and B, but no vaccine for hepatitis C,” said DOH-Pinellas Director Dr. Ulyee Choe, an infectious disease specialist. “The best defense is to get vaccinated with the ones that are available and to get tested if you’re at higher risk of viral hepatitis.”

The DOH-Pinellas hepatitis program provides education, screening, vaccinations, counseling and referrals for care. For more information about its services or to request an educational in-service, call (727) 824-6932.

DOH-Pinellas provides information about hepatitis A, B and C on its website here https://pinellas.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/infectious-disease-services/hepatitis/index.html.

For more information about DOH-Pinellas, go to www.PinellasHealth.com or follow us on Twitter at @HealthyPinellas. We are also on Facebook and Nextdoor to provide public health updates and information.

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About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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