White = 1.2
Nonwhite = 4.4

Female = 1.6
Male = 2.2

Hepatitis A is a viral infection transmitted most commonly by fecally-contaminated food or water, or from person-to-person via fecally-contaminated hands.

In 1999, hepatitis A incidence in Indiana decreased from the previous year, and was well below the previous 5 year average incidence of 270 cases per year (Figure 1).

The number of reported cases was highest during the winter months (Figure 2).

Non-whites were 3.7 times more likely than whites to become infected with hepatitis A in 1999. Males (2.2) were more likely to be reported than females (1.6). Age-specific rates were highest among children aged five to nine years (3.4) followed by children under age one (2.8), and adults 50-59 (2.2) (Figure 3).

Among counties with at least 5 cases reported, the incidence rates were highest in Montgomery (29.0), Lake (7.4) and Elkhart (3.8) counties (Figure 4).

Approximately 23% of the interviewed cases had been in contact with a known case of hepatitis A. Of the more common risk factors for hepatitis A, household contact with a confirmed case and international travel were more common than exposures to daycare centers, eating raw shellfish, illicit drug use, male homosexual or bisexual contact and having multiple sexual partners. Four (5%) of the interviewed cases were employed as food handlers during their infections. The reported risk factor data are summarized in Table 1.

There were no outbreaks of hepatitis A infection reported in Indiana in 1999.

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