An outbreak of hepatitis A earlier this year in Allegheny County seems to be under control, although the number of cases reported for the first nine months of this year were more than double those reported for all of 2001.
"It's settled down," said Guillermo Cole, spokesman for the Allegheny County Health Department, which keeps track of the 70 reportable diseases and conditions.
Hepatitis A, one of five known strains of the infectious disease, rarely causes death or long-term liver disease, but can be debilitating, causing fever, jaundice and overwhelming fatigue for months.
During epidemic years, 35,000 cases are reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the agency estimates that there are actually about 150,000 to 250,000 infections a year.
By September of this year, 48 cases had been reported in Allegheny County vs. 20 for all of last year and 12 the year before. But there is an ebb and flow to this disease, and a flare-up in 1999 brought reports of 113 cases.
Hepatitis A is usually transmitted through contaminated food and water, but this year's outbreak spread through unsafe sexual practices in the gay community. As soon as the Health Department noticed an increase, it began an awareness campaign in that population.
Vaccination is the easiest way to avoid hepatitis A, and the shots are often recommended for travelers heading to undeveloped countries. The department offers the shot for $26. A booster is needed six to 12 months afterward to ensure long-term protection. Otherwise, transmission can be avoided by washing your hands or food with soap and water, or by practicing safe sex.
The Health Department recently began publishing statistics on reportable diseases in the Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin, to keep doctors better informed of trends.
The figures at this time do not include hepatitis C, a disease of the liver that can be life-threatening. In 2003, the department will begin a new tracking system for hepatitis C that will ensure that actual cases are counted properly.
Virginia Linn can be reached at vlinn@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1662.
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