Three cases diagnosed in Pittsburg County

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- Three cases of Hepatitis A have been diagnosed in Pittsburg County in less than two weeks, county Health<br>Department Director Mike Echelle said. Two additional cases were reported

Thursday, January 13th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- Three cases of Hepatitis A have been diagnosed in Pittsburg County in less than two weeks, county Health
Department Director Mike Echelle said. Two additional cases were reported last month.

Echelle said one case was in Haileyville, but he said he couldn't discuss the other two because of confidentiality issues.

School officials sent a letter home with students to confirm that a child attending Haileyville Elementary School had the
disease. The source of the illness has not been determined, but Echelle said school settings are not considered to have an increased risk for the transmission of the disease.

Hepatitis A can cause liver disease. Symptoms may include fever, loss of appetite, nausea vomiting, tiredness, occasional diarrhea and a general feeling of being ill, according to the Health Department.

It is spread by the fecal-oral route through close person-to-person contact, or by ingesting contaminated food or water.