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| Outbreak of hepatitis in Boston, Springfield shelters and jails |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 02/23/2004 |
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Disease investigators say an outbreak of hepatitis A has been found in homeless shelters and jails in Boston and Springfield, but not among the general public. "I'm starting to get concerned," Dr. Alfred DeMaria, the state's director of communicable disease control, said last Wednesday. "This is a marginalized population who are not into health care, so it may be a little harder to reach them with vaccine against the virus and prevention messages." Since the beginning of the year, 17 cases of the viral illness have been reported in Boston, with an 18th case suspected. In each of the past three years, no more than five cases of hepatitis A were reported during the same period. In Hampden County, where Springfield is located, 30 cases have been documented in the past seven weeks. In 2002, five cases were confirmed in the Western Massachusetts county. So far, public health officials have not been able to trace the outbreak to a single source, such as a particular homeless shelter or a restaurant. Because hepatitis A is not spread through the air and because there is no evidence of a general outbreak, public health specialists said the public should not be alarmed. However disease specialists said they are concerned about the current outbreak because it is hitting groups disproportionately infected with hepatitis C, often the sharing of drug needles. The usually transient consequences of hepatitis A can suddenly turn more severe, and even fatal, in patients already infected with hepatitis C. |
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