Hepatitis A infections have skyrocketed since 2013, primarily affecting individuals who are homeless or reported illicit drug use, according to the CDC's most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published May 10.
Four things to know:
1. The CDC received 294 percent more reports of hepatitis A infections during 2016-18 compared to 2013-15.
2. Nine states and Washington, D.C., saw a 500 percent increase in cases over this time period.
3. Between 2016 and 2018, the CDC confirmed 15,000 hepatitis A infections nationwide. Most of these cases occurred in people who were homeless or used drugs. The second-most cases involved men who had sex with men, followed by people who consumed contaminated food.
4. Hepatitis A is the most common cause of viral hepatitis globally, according to the CDC. The virus is spread through fecal-oral transmission but can be prevented by vaccination.
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