Ohio state health officials declared a hepatitis A outbreak last June and at the time, 79 outbreak cases were reported.

Hepatitis A Vaccine Image/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Image/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

As 2018 came to a close, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) reported 1,311 cases, which included 821 hospitalizations and four fatalities.

Sixty-six of the 88 Ohio counties saw cases in 2018 with Butler (240), Montgomery (180) and Franklin (129) counties reporting the most.

Outbreaks of hepatitis A are occurring in several states across the U.S., including neighboring states of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia.

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable liver disease that usually spreads when a person ingests fecal matter – even in microscopic amounts – from contact with objects, food or drinks contaminated by the stool of an infected person.  Hepatitis A can also be spread from close personal contact with an infected person, such as through sex.

People at increased risk for hepatitis A in this outbreak include:

  • People with direct contact with individuals infected with the virus
  • Men who have sex with men
  • People who use street drugs whether they are injected or not
  • People who are incarcerated
  • People experiencing homelessness
  • People who have traveled to other areas of the U.S. currently experiencing outbreaks

Health officials say people who believe that they are at high risk for hepatitis A infection should contact their healthcare provider or local health department for information about vaccination.