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LEXINGTON, Kentucky (LEX 18) – There were 13 new cases of hepatitis A in Lexington last month, according to officials from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.
These 13 cases brought the new total to 34 in Fayette County. Of these 34 cases, 74% included hospitalization, compared to about 53% throughout Kentucky.
There were 16 deaths in Kentucky related to hepatitis A; none has been in Fayette County.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that can cause loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, fever,
stomach pain, brown colored urine and pale colored stools. Yellowing of the skin or eyes may
also appear. People may have some or none of these symptoms. It could take up to seven weeks
after being exposed to the virus so that a person gets sick.
Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or
beverages contaminated with small undetected amounts of stool from an infected person.
The vaccine against hepatitis A is available at the Department of Health.
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