Tennessee Is Just the Latest State to Report a Hepatitis A Outbreak. Here ’s What to Know

Tennessee has joined a growing number of states battling hepatitis A outbreaks, public health officials report. The Nashville Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) announced that 14 cases of hepatitis A have been confirmed in the city since December 2017 —significantly more than the two cases it sees in an average year. MPHD is working with state public health officials to contain the outbreak, according to a statement, but the infection has already popped up in a number of nearby states, as well as some on the West Coast. Here’s what to know hepatitis A and the outbreaks around the country. What is hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is an acute viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, appetite loss, nausea, stomach pain and jaundice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The disease is typically spread through close contact with an infected person, or by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Symptoms typically go away within two months, the CDC says, but patients may develop liver failure or other complications. In some cases, the disease can be fatal. Thanks to the efficacy of the hepatitis A vaccine, the CDC reports that rates of the disease have dropped by 95% since 1995 — which makes the current outbreaks somewhat unusual. Which states are experiencing hepatitis A outbreaks? At least eight states have experienced recent hepatitis A outbreaks: Tennessee, California, Indiana...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthytime Infectious Disease onetime Source Type: news