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'Significant Increase' Of Hepatitis A Diagnoses In NH Concerning Health Officials

BOSTON (CBS) -- New Hampshire has seen "a significant increase in the number of people" diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. There were 33 diagnoses in March alone.

Since Nov., the DHHS said there have been 79 diagnoses, all adults. In years past, there have only been about six or seven people diagnosed with the disease annually.

Hepatitis A can cause inflammation of the liver or serious infections that could cause liver failure and potentially death.

Beth Daly of the New Hampshire Infectious Disease Control at DHHS explained, "What we're really concerned about in New Hampshire though are the people who are getting infected tend to be people who have a substance abuse disorder or people who are using recreational drugs."

It is contagious and anyone can contract the virus but particular groups of people are at higher risk. The DHHS said those people are:

  • people with direct contact with someone with hepatitis A
  • people using injection or non-injection recreational drugs, including marijuana
  • people experiencing homelessness or with unstable housing (e.g. "couch surfing")
  • gay and bisexual men
  • people with ongoing, close contact with high-risk individuals

"These individuals may have less access to vaccines, and so we're really trying to work with our community partners to get these people vaccinated so they can be protected," said Daly.

Some of the symptoms include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, joint pain, and yellowing of the skin and eyes. Currently, there is no specific treatment.

"Hepatitis A is spread by unknowingly getting the virus in your mouth after touching or eating items that are contaminated with small amounts of stool from an infected person. Hepatitis A can also spread from close personal contact with an infected person or caring for someone who is ill. Hepatitis A is preventable with a safe and effective vaccine, which is vital to stopping this outbreak," Daly wrote in a statement.

Hillsborough County has since 36 diagnoses since Nov., followed by 17 in Strafford County, 10 in Rockingham County, 10 in Merrimack, two in, Cheshire County, two in Grafton, one in Sullivan County and one in Carroll County.

One person in Merrimack County has died.

Officials said Hillsborough County has seen the most cases because it has the highest population and highest at-risk population.

"In this case, because the vaccine is newer than vaccines like the measles vaccine, it's not about so much that the vaccine has declined over time, it's just more so that not a lot of adults have ever been vaccinated so there's not a good immunity out in our community," said Daly.

This is New Hampshire's first outbreak in 14 years. Eighteen states have declared outbreaks.

For more about hepatitis A, its symptoms, and those at risk, visit the DHHS website.

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