Monitoring hepatitis cases in the U.S.

May 24, 2019

Since 2016, 23 states have reported outbreaks of hepatitis A among people who use drugs and/or experience homelessness, according to a news release by Contagion, a multimedia resource that provides up-to-date, disease-specific information including via its interactive Outbreak Monitor.

Before these outbreaks began, it says the U.S. reported an estimated 4,000 cases of hepatitis A annually. The recent outbreaks have now resulted in more than 17,000 cases and 8,500 hospitalizations in just those 22 states. The Outbreak Monitor reports the following statistics for the top five states for cases and deaths, respectively: Kentucky, 4,621 cases and 57 deaths; West Virginia, 2,513 and 21; Ohio, 2,298 and 8; Florida, 1,768; and Indiana, 1,405 and 4.

The Contagion Outbreak Monitor is an interactive resource that provides real-time updates on disease-specific outbreaks on local, regional, national, and international levels. The data included in the monitor are from trusted global reporting organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and local and public health departments. The Monitor also tracks trends and details on confirmed cases and deaths, matched with recent coverage related to each outbreak.

“Our Outbreak Monitor is an incredible resource for doctors to use when providing their patients with real-time updates about the latest global outbreaks,” said Michael J. Hennessy Jr., president of MJH Associates Inc., parent company of Contagion, in the release. “The hepatitis A virus is spreading, and it is important that we are the go-to resource for clinicians across the globe when learning about infectious disease outbreaks in their area.”