The number of hepatitis A cases in Florida has increased significantly, prompting health officials to issue an advisory on Wednesday and asking people, especially at-risk populations, to get vaccinated.
Since January, 385 cases of hepatitis A have been reported in Florida. That’s compared to 276 cases last year and an average of about 120 cases the four previous years.
“Florida’s cases are beginning to mirror national trends,” state health officials said in a news release.
The increase is mostly concentrated in the Orlando and Tampa Bay areas, according to the Florida Department of Health.
In late October, Orange County officials reported an outbreak of hepatitis A, mainly among the homeless and drug-using populations. Last week, a food service worker at Morimoto Asia restaurant in Disney Springs was found to have the virus.
Hepatitis A can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route and sexual contact.
According to the latest count, 70 cases of hepatitis A have been reported in the county, up from 53 last month, Orange County health officials said Wednesday. In comparison, the county reported zero to 10 cases each year in the past five years.
Most cases this year are because of local transmission and not international travel, health officials said. Most patients are men, 30 to 49 years old, many of whom are homeless, use drugs or have sex with other men.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious disease of the liver. Symptoms usually start within a month after exposure and include yellowing of the skin, fever, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, dark urine and pale stool.
There’s no drug for the disease. Most people get better over time, but some may need to be hospitalized.
The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated. The vaccine — which is recommended in two doses, six months apart — provides lifetime protection against the virus.
“It’s one of the best vaccines we have,” said Dr. Kenneth Alexander, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Nemours Children’s Hospital. “The vaccine is incredibly safe, and it’s well-tolerated.”
Even one dose of the vaccine is about 95 percent effective. The vaccine is also effective within two weeks after exposure to the hepatitis A virus, he said.
The vaccine is not required for babies and children in Florida, but it is recommended, said Dr. Timothy Hendrix, medical director of Florida Hospital Centra Care.
The health department also recommended handwashing.
Health officials said the following people should be vaccinated for hepatitis A:
All children at age 1 year
People who are homeless
Users of recreational drugs, whether injected or not
Men who have sex with other men
People with direct contact with others who have hepatitis A
Travelers to countries where hepatitis A is common
People with chronic or long-term liver disease, including hepatitis B or hepatitis C
People with clotting-factor disorders
Family and caregivers of adoptees from countries where hepatitis A is common
Health providers should immediately report hepatitis A cases to their local health departments.
You can get the vaccines for $76 at the health department. People without health insurance can get the vaccine for free. For more information, contact the Orange County health department’s Hepatitis Prevention Program at 407-723-5054.
You can also ask your provider or pharmacy for the vaccine.
“Next time you go to the drugstore, ask for the vaccine. Get a flu shot in one arm and the hepatitis A vaccine in the other,” Alexander said.
nmiller@orlandosentinel.com, 321-436-9205, Twitter; Instagram; Facebook; LinkedIn.
