Tennessee is one of some 16 states that are dealing with an outbreak of hepatitis A that have occurred primarily among persons who use injection and non-injection drugs, and/or persons who are homeless, and their close direct contacts.

Image/TDH
Image/TDH

According to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), 841 outbreak cases have been reported since Dec. 2017. This is double the number of cases reported just a few months ago in November. Over the last five years, Tennessee has seen an average of 13 cases per year, often associated with travel to countries where hepatitis A is common.

To date, three fatalities have been reported and two-thirds of the total cases required hospitalization for their illness.

Kentucky hepatitis A death toll jumps to 40 after review

The Mid-Cumberland (317), Nashville-Davidson (183) and the Chattanooga-Hamilton (96) regions has seen the most outbreak cases.

Health officials say the hepatitis A vaccine is extremely effective. The first dose of the two dose series will protect most people for several years. The two dose series is all that is needed for a lifetime; it does not require booster doses. Hepatitis A vaccine is routinely recommended for certain groups even in the absence of an outbreak including the following:

  • All children at age 1 year
  • Travelers to countries that have high rates of hepatitis A
  • Family members and caregivers of recent adoptees from countries where hepatitis A is common
  • Men who have sexual contact with other men
  • People who use recreational drugs, whether injected or not
  • People with chronic (lifelong) liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C
  • People who are treated with clotting-factor concentrates
  • People who work with hepatitis A infected animals or in a hepatitis A research laboratory

Related:

Florida hepatitis A outbreak continues: 189 cases in January

New Hampshire: Increase in hepatitis A cases ‘concerning’, Early stages of outbreak

Hepatitis A Outbreak Continues in Ohio

Nashville reports 150 hepatitis A cases in nearly a year