HENDRICKS COUNTY – Hendricks County health officials are urging residents to take precautions against hepatitis A due to an ongoing outbreak of the highly contagious liver disease in Indiana and other states.
Since November 2017, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has confirmed 698 outbreak-related cases of hepatitis A in Indiana, which typically sees about 20 cases in a 12-month period. Hendricks County has seen an increase in Hepatitis A activity over the past year.
“Hepatitis A vaccine is available from healthcare providers and pharmacies as routine preventive care,” says Teresa Krupka, Public Health Nurse for the Hendricks County Health Department. “Handwashing for 20 seconds with warm water and soap is also highly recommended.”
Hepatitis A is usually transmitted person-to-person through fecal-oral routes or by consuming contaminated food or water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies those most at risk during this outbreak as people who use illicit drugs, people who are homeless, men who have sex with men, and people who are incarcerated.
Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of hepatitis A should contact a healthcare provider immediately and refrain from preparing food for others. Symptoms can include fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice, which usually appear within two months of infection. Individuals can become ill 15 to 50 days after being exposed to the virus. A doctor can determine if someone has hepatitis A with a blood test.
Updates on the Hepatitis A outbreak can be found on the ISDH website: https://www.in.gov/isdh/27791.htm.
