At Least 6 Infected In MA Hepatitis A Outbreak: Officials

MASSACHUSETTS — At least six hepatitis A cases were confirmed in Massachusetts in November, according to an advisory released by the state's Department of Public Health.

The six infections — four of which were severe and required hospitalization — were reported in Suffolk, Norfolk, Hampden, and Plymouth counties between Nov. 1 and Nov. 29, with additional suspected cases under investigation, officials said.

Four of the six people infected are men ranging in age from 36 to 60, according to officials. Some of them reported recent homelessness or unstable housing, injection drug use or other drug use, and recent stays at Boston-area clinics, shelters, and substance use treatment facilities.

None of the patients had a recent history of travel outside of Massachusetts and there are no common sources of food, beverages, or drugs identified with this cluster, officials said.

Health officials noted the similarity between these cases and those of a large outbreak that began in Massachusetts in 2018 and ended in 2020, eventually involving 563 cases with 9 deaths. At that time, there were additional large Hepatitis A infection clusters in California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus, according to officials. Cases range in severity from mild, lasting a few weeks, to severe, lasting several months.

People who are especially at risk include those who are experiencing homelessness or men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and people who travel to areas with high or intermediate hepatitis A endemicity or have chronic liver disease or clotting factor disorders, officials said.

Hepatitis A can be prevented with the hepatitis A vaccine, even when the vaccine is administered up to 2 weeks after exposure, according to officials.

Effective prevention and response measures include early identification of cases, vaccination, enhanced sanitation processes, and education of populations who may be at risk, officials said.