CDC Reports Increasing Number of Hepatitis A Cases Across Country

Hepatitis A viral infection has been on the upswing across the country.  Since March of 2016, there have been 24,280 cases reported with 14525 hospitalizations and 236 deaths.  The numbers have been especially high in those who are homeless/have unstable housing or those using drugs.  Pennsylvania has had 376 of those cases while Ohio has had 3244 cases.

This increased level can put a lot of pressure on the foodservice sector, especially in the larger cities where establishments may be more likely to hire those those considered high risk for contracting the illness or have more interaction.

https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/outbreaks/2017March-HepatitisA.htm
Widespread outbreaks of hepatitis A across the United States
Since March 2017, CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) has been assisting multiple state and local health departments with hepatitis A outbreaks, spread through person-to-person contact.

At a Glance
Since the outbreaks were first identified in 2016, 29 states have publicly reported the following as of August 16, 2019

• Cases: 24,280
• Hospitalizations: 14,525 (60%)
• Deaths: 236

The hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent HAV infection 

• The following groups are at highest risk for acquiring HAV infection or developing serious complications from HAV infection in these outbreaks and should be offered the hepatitis A vaccine in order to prevent or control an outbreak: ◦People who use drugs (injection or non-injection)
• People experiencing unstable housing or homelessness 
• Men who have sex with men (MSM)
• People who are currently or were recently incarcerated 
• People with chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C
• One dose of single-antigen hepatitis A vaccine has been shown to control outbreaks of hepatitis A and provides up to 95% seroprotection in healthy individuals for up to 11 years.1,2 
• Pre-vaccination serologic testing is not required to administer hepatitis A vaccine. Vaccinations should not be postponed if vaccination history cannot be obtained or records are unavailable.

CDC has provided outbreak-specific considerations for hepatitis A vaccine administration.