NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Tennessee Department of Health said Wednesday that one death associated with a hepatitis A outbreak has been reported.
More than 400 cases of illness have been reported to date. Officials said the outbreak in Tennessee most heavily affects Nashville and Chattanooga.
“We are very saddened by the recent death associated with hepatitis A and realize unfortunately, we could see more deaths, as this continues to be a very serious outbreak with more than half of the people identified with the illness needing hospitalization,” TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH said in a release. “We will continue to respond aggressively, vaccinating high risk populations, educating and working with partners in and out of Tennessee to seek additional ways to stem this outbreak.”
Tennessee’s hepatitis A outbreak is linked to a large, multi-state outbreak that began in 2017. This outbreak is primarily affecting recreational drug users and people experiencing homelessness.
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is usually transmitted from one person to another through contact with contaminated feces or consumption of contaminated food or water. The most at-risk groups for hepatitis A include recreational drug users, men who have sex with men and people experiencing homelessness. Many of the hepatitis A cases in the current outbreak are associated with recreational drug use.
“More than 36,000 doses of hepatitis A vaccine have been provided to those most at risk in our state and I believe this massive effort has made a huge difference in reducing the number of hepatitis A cases,” said TDH Assistant Commissioner for Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness Tim Jones, MD. “We urge anyone in the high risk groups to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and will continue to work with state and local partners to provide hepatitis A vaccine to people at high risk for infection and educate people on how to prevent the spread of this disease.”
Steps to prevent infection with hepatitis A include washing hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, before eating and before preparing or serving food. Get vaccinated if you are at high risk for getting hepatitis A. The vaccine can protect you after a single dose.
More information about hepatitis A and Tennessee’s response to this outbreak can be found at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/tennessee-hepatitis-a-outbreak.html.