(La Mirada) – Hepatitis C, known to be one of the most important sources of chronic liver disease, claims an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 deaths annually in the United States. This week, the County of Orange Health Care Agency will co-sponsor a Hepatitis Summit and Symposium featuring the nation’s top hepatitis researchers and clinicians to educate local health care professionals and the community about the emerging epidemic.

The two-day summit will take place on Thursday, July 18 and Friday, July 19 at the La Mirada Holiday Inn and Conference Center located at 14299 Firestone Blvd. To register for the event or for more information, please call (800) 891-0707 or (949) 654-4250.

“The main goal of the Hepatitis Summit is to provide cutting edge education to health care professionals to assist them with patients with hepatitis B and C, as well as co-infection with HIV in both clinical and non-clinical environments,” said Thelma King Thiel, CEO for Hepatitis Foundation International.

Among the topics that will be discussed is the epidemiology of viral hepatitis; the role of IV drug abuse and alcohol; and hepatitis B and C treatment options. Included among the many speakers scheduled to present are leading clinicians Leonard B. Seeff, M.D., senior scientist for hepatitis C research at the National Institutes of Health and Joseph Perz, Ph.D., epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control.

Co-sponsored by the Orange County Health Care Agency, Hepatitis Foundation International and UCI Medical Center, the conference is available for medical professionals to obtain continuing education credits. Health care field clinicians as well as patients and members of the community are all encouraged to attend.