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COLUMBIA, S.C. – What started as an outbreak of hepatitis A cases reported in Aiken County has now spread to other parts of South Carolina, prompting public health officials to declare an outbreak at the state level.
Since November 1, South Carolina has recorded 86 reported cases of the contagious disease. State epidemiologist Linda Bell said on Monday that it was more than four times what officials normally expected to see. In the last 10 years, South Carolina has had an average of 19 cases of hepatitis A a year.
Most of the new cases occurred in Aiken County and nearly half of the cases involved individuals who reported using drugs, Bell said.
Nevertheless, the general population does not need to be too worried, she said.
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"But we are seeing higher cases than we expect to see," said Bell. "And it is therefore important that we do our prevention efforts quickly to reach high-risk groups, vaccinate them … so that we can prevent" a serious epidemic.
The State reports that the Department of Health and Environmental Protection offers free vaccines to high-risk groups, including drug addicts, the homeless, incarcerated gay men and sexually active men.
In addition, health officials recommend that all children receive two doses of the vaccine as part of their immunization program.
Of the 86 cases reported in South Carolina, 59 led to hospitalization and one to death, DHEC said.
Hepatitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the liver. It comes in many forms, including hepatitis A, B and C. As a result, people with chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis, present an increased risk of complications in case of infection and must be vaccinated.
The infection transmitted by the virus can be prevented by vaccination and is usually passed from person to person through the consumption of food or contaminated water, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibodies produced in response to infection with hepatitis A last a lifetime and protect against re-infection.
The infection usually causes an illness two to six weeks after exposure. Symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and yellowing of the eyes and skin. Symptoms usually go away within two months of infection, according to the CDC.
In February, public health officials declared an outbreak in Aiken County after an employee of another restaurant in Aiken tested positive for the virus, DHEC said. Bell, however, pointed out that transmission through food or drink is rare.
"In the United States, most transmissions are by person-to-person contact," Bell said. "Good hygiene – washing your hands diligently – is a good way to prevent hepatitis A, as well as not to share any personal belongings," including drugstore equipment, did it? she added, adding that the state had received reports of hepatitis A from various drug users "from marijuana to methamphetamine."
Residents can make an appointment for a vaccination at their local health unit by calling 855-472-3432 or by visiting http://bit.ly/2HhEsM8.
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