Public health officials in Los Angeles County have declared an outbreak of hepatitis A, a highly contagious liver infection driven by a virus that can, in rare cases, cause serious diseases.
The condition, which is usually identified in Ferwer of 50 people in Los Angeles County every year, infected at least 138 people in 2024 and the cases have remained unusually high so far in 2025. The authorities say that the figures of the virus in local wastewater.
This is what you should know.
How is hepatitis A transmitted?
The hepatitis A virus extends through the so-called oral-decal route, which meaans are established through food or drinks that have been contaminated with microscopic pieces of feces of an infected person. It can also be extended by close contact with some who carry the virus, even if they show no symptoms.
Unattended people often have a greater risk of contracting hepatitis A because they have limited access to toilets and handwashing facilities. The virus is also more common among travelers to places with Maloseño, men who have sex with men and people who use drugs.
But authorities say that many of the recent cases have occurred in people without those risk factors. They still don’t know why, but Dr. Timothy Brewer, a doctor of infectious diseases and Epidemiologist at UCLA, said he had led him to worry about two things: food pollution and community circulation.
“If you are practicing good hygiene in a community that has access to drinking water, you really shouldn’t see much of this,” he said. “Something is happening, but exactly what is something, we don’t know.”
What are the symptoms of a hepatitis A infection?
The first signs of the infection can resemble a classic stomach insect: fever, fatigue, nausea and a loss of appetite, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. Around time, people who infect can also experience yellowish skin and eyes, dark urine and pale stool.
One of the challenges to stop an outbreak of hepatitis A is that the contact tracking can be almost impossible. The infection can be incubated up to seven weeks before the symptoms appear, and a person who transports the virus can extend it up to two weeks before feeling ill.
In addition, a significant proportion of people who infect do not experience important symptoms, said Dr. Edward Jones-López, a specialist in infectious diseases with KECK Medicine from the University of Southern California, so they do not visit their doctor, who in turn does not perform a blood test and reports the case.
Serious symptoms are the majority or SEN in older adults, people with chronic liver conditions and those with fabric or HIV immune systems rarely, a hepatitis A infection can be fatal. In this outbreak, at least seven people have died. That may seem an unusual high mortality rate, but officials believe that many more people become infected with the legs than the official number. Most have a probable nomatic leg, or symptoms shown sufficiently soft to have a badly identified leg.
How is hepatitis A about?
There is no specific antiviral medication for hepatitis A. The usual infection is resolved by itself in one less, and most people do not face liver damage. But for some, hospitalization may be necessary.
In rare cases, infection can become acute liver failure called fulminant hepatitis, which may require a transplant, said Dr. Jones-López. “It can progress very, very fast, that is a very serious disease.”
If you think it could be infected, be sure to visit your doctor, drink many liquids and rest appropriate.
How can I avoid it?
The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is through vaccination. The regime, two doses of vaccine, at least six months apart, provides life protection. Children were given bone during the last two decades, but many adults of 25 years or more do not have the shots unless they were in a high -risk group.
The fact that the outbreak occurs outside of traditional populations “underlines the need to reassess how, and where, we go to prevention efforts,” said Dr. Anne Rimoin, a professor of epidemiology at UCLA, since “an infection anywhere is potentially an infection everywhere.”
If you are not vaccinated, but you know you have a leg displayed to a person who carries the virus, a rapid vaccination can prevent it from becoming infected. Experts say that some people with immune systems that are exposed could also benefit from receiving immunoblobulin. And good hygiene is a wise protective measure for all; Wash your hands with water and water, especially after using the bathroom and before preparing food.
