Pennsylvania health officials on Monday declared an outbreak of hepatitis A in the Commonwealth, citing an increasing number of cases over the past year.
The designation allows Pennsylvania to be eligible for federal funds to purchase additional vaccines if needed.
According to the Department of Health, the state has had 171 cases of hepatitis A in 36 counties since January 2018. Centre County is among those, but on the lower end of cases, listed in the range of 1-10.
“The counties hardest hit by this outbreak are Philadelphia and Allegheny, but we have seen an increase of cases throughout much of the state,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a news release. “We are taking this action now to be proactive in our response to treating Pennsylvanians suffering from this illness and prevent it from spreading. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is through vaccination.”
Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus and is preventable by vaccine. It is spread from person to person after putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person. The virus is most easily spread through food and water in situations where there are poor sanitary conditions or proper hand washing does not occur. It can also be transmitted through sex.
Though vaccination is the most effective prevention, washing your hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, and before preparing or eating food can help prevent the spread of hepatitis A.
Levine said that neighboring states of Ohio and West Virginia have seen more than 2,000 cases of hepatitis A since January 2018.
“It’s hard to know for sure why we are experiencing an outbreak of hepatitis A,” Levine said. “We do know that the commonwealth has seen an increase of diseases like hepatitis C and HIV because of the opioid epidemic.”
Many people with hepatitis A do not show symptoms and it is often spread from close contact with household members, especially children, who may shown no evidence of the infection.
Symptoms can be mild to severe and can last from a few weeks to several months. They can include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine, light-colored stools,and jaundice.
The average time from exposure to onset of symptoms is 28 days but can range from 15 to 50 days.
Those who think they may have been exposed to hepatitis A should contact their physicians to monitor and treat symptoms. A post-exposure prophylaxis may be available to prevent the disease, most effectively within two weeks of exposure. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A, but infected individuals are generally advised to get plenty of rest, eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated and avoid alcohol.
People who are uninsured or underinsured can contact 1-877-PA-HEALTH for locations of state health centers to be tested and monitored.
The health department updated its hepatitis A information site with links to statewide data and an interactive map for planned vaccination clinics.
