[an error occurred while processing this directive] 2002-2003 Infectious Disease - Hepatitis A [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]

2002 Indiana Report of Infectious Diseases

Hepatitis A

Table 1. Hepatitis A Cases by Race and Sex, Indiana, 2002
  2002 1998-2002
Cases Rate* Cases
Total 50 .81 561
Race
   White 35 .64 369
   Black 3 .57 78
   Other 2 1.31 12
   Not Reported 10   102
Sex
   Male 31 1.02 206
   Female 19 61 344
   Not Reported 0   11

*Rate per 100,000 population based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s   population data as of July 1, 2002

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver transmitted most commonly by fecal-oral contact from contaminated food or water, or from person to person via contaminated hands or oral-anal contact. Hepatitis A virus infects primarily humans.

In 2002, 50 cases of hepatitis A were reported in Indiana for a rate of 0.8 cases per 100,000 population (Table 1). This represents a sharp decrease from 2001. In addition, the incidence remained below the 1998-2002 average incidence of 112 cases (Figure 1). The number of reported cases was highest during the spring months (Figure 2). Figure 3 shows age-specific rates were greatest for adults aged 80 years and older (1.9), followed by adults aged 50-59 years (1.3), and adults aged 20-29 years (1.2). Males (1.0) were almost twice as likely to be reported than females (0.6). The rate for other races (1.3) was higher than that for whites (0.6) or blacks (0.6); however, 10 cases (20%) did not report race data.

The incidence rates were highest in the following counties reporting five or more cases:
St. Joseph (1.9) and Marion (1.2). Figure 4 shows Indiana counties reporting five or more cases. There were no outbreaks of hepatitis A infection reported in Indiana in 2002. The most common risk factor reported for hepatitis A infection in 2002 was international travel (24%). Other common risk factors included male homosexual/bisexual contact (12%), raw seafood consumption (12%), and contact with a confirmed case (10%).

You can learn more about hepatitis A by visiting the following Web site:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/a/index.htm

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