Main Facts
The state of Massachusetts is experiencing an outbreak of hepatitis A that has infected at least six people between November 1 and November 29, with “additional suspected cases” under investigation, according to a warning issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health earlier this week.
Multiple Cases
These multiple cases include individuals who recently reported severe poverty and the use of contaminated needles or other drugs, many of whom sought services at Boston shelters and addiction treatment clinics and facilities.
Similarity to Previous Outbreak
Health officials compared this outbreak to a larger epidemic in the state between 2018 and 2020, which involved over 550 cases and nine fatalities, primarily affecting homeless individuals and those with substance use disorders.
Health Warnings
The Department of Health expressed concern that more transmission of hepatitis A and fatalities could occur in Massachusetts due to the pattern of the previous outbreak, advising individuals to get the hepatitis A vaccine, which remains effective even if administered two weeks after exposure to the virus.
Large Numbers
44,937. This is the number of hepatitis A cases recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 2016. These cases span 37 states and have resulted in 27,461 hospitalizations and 424 deaths.
Main Background
Severe hepatitis A is commonly found among individuals who use illicit drugs (both injecting and non-injecting) and are exposed to drug-contaminated equipment such as needles, pipes, spoons, and bongs, as well as among men who have sex with men, individuals who have recently been incarcerated, those with chronic liver disease, and people experiencing homelessness or unstable housing, according to the CDC. The most common mode of transmission is the fecal-oral route when an uninfected person eats food or drinks a beverage contaminated with feces from an infected person, according to the World Health Organization. However, it can also be transmitted through close contact, such as sexual contact. Symptoms of hepatitis A include yellowing of the skin, fever, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, dark urine or light-colored stools, joint pain, and fatigue. Not everyone will show symptoms of hepatitis A, and adults are more likely to experience symptoms than children. If symptoms do appear, they usually occur between two weeks and seven weeks after infection and typically last less than two months, although they can persist for up to six months in more severe cases.
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Ariana Johnson
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