Since August 1, 2017, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) has identified over 2,000 cases of acute hepatitis A, a liver disease caused by hepatitis A virus. An increase in cases since Aug. 1, 2017, primarily among the homeless and drug users, prompted declaration of a statewide outbreak in Nov. 2017. Viral sequencing has linked several outbreak-associated cases in Kentucky with outbreaks in California and Utah.
DPH is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health departments to provide guidance and education to health professionals and at-risk populations. Treatment for acute hepatitis A generally involves supportive care, with specific complications treated as appropriate. Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease. For more information on Kentucky’s hepatitis A outbreak please visit the Hepatitis A Outbreak page.
Counts as of October 20, 2018:
Total Outbreak: 2,275
Hospitalizations: 1209
Deaths: 14
