Hepatitis A Outbreak Reported
Ohio’s Health Department reports it’s declaring a statewide outbreak of Hepatitis A.
State Officials said Ohio has 79 Hepatitis A cases so far this year, with one being reported in Guernsey County and none in Muskingum.
The virus attacks the liver and causes symptoms including headache, nausea, fever and jaundice, symptoms begin 15 to 50 days after exposure with patients considered infectious about 2 weeks before they get jaundiced to about 10 days after the jaundice has its onset.
“Since it looks like any viral illness people can be spreading this virus during that 2 week period before the get jaundiced before it even occurs to someone to think could this be Hepatitis A,” explained Dr. Jack Butterfield the ZMCHD Medical Director.
Hepatitis A is spread through the injestion of fecal matter from contaminated objects like food or drinks or contact with an infected person, such as through sex.
Dr. Butterfield said the most effective way to stop the spread of the virus is through vaccination and good personal hygiene.
“Practice good hand washing. It is a fecal oral route of transmission, so good hand washing, which should be a part of everyday practice anyway but I would just reinforce that,” said Dr. Butterfield.
Doctor Buttefield said since Hepatitis A is a virus it cannot be treated with antibiotics. He said many people getting the virus do become hospitalized, but very few people die.
