By NewsDesk @bactiman63
The Florida Department of Health reported an additional 92 hepatitis A cases the week ending May 25, bringing the outbreak total for 2019 to 1312 cases.
So far in 2019, counties reporting the most cases include Pinellas (254), Pasco (248) and Orange (109).
Since the beginning of the outbreak in 2018, Pinellas County has reported 367 cases, followed by Pasco with 313, Orange with 202 and Hillsborough with 182 cases.
From January 1, 2018 through May 25, 2019, 1,860 hepatitis A cases were reported.
Florida hepatitis A outbreak with Epidemiologist, Andrea Leapley
Nationally, 24 states have declared hepatitis A outbreaks since mid 2016. More than 17,000 cases reported and at least 170 deaths as a result of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection have been reported.
CDC reports 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.
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