It is spreading among those usually not at risk. At least seven people have died.
Health officials in Los Angeles County have announced an outbreak of hepatitis A, a highly contagious liver infection caused by a virus that can, in rare instances, lead to severe illness.
According to recent reporting by The New York Times, this disease usually affects fewer than 50 people in L.A. County each year, but in 2024, it infected at least 138 individuals, and cases will remain unusually high in 2025. Officials believe that the actual number of cases is likely higher based on the levels of the virus found in local wastewater.
Here’s what doctors want you to know.
How is hepatitis A spread?
Hepatitis A is an extremely contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. It spreads through the oral-fecal route, meaning that people can get it by eating or drinking food or beverages that have been tainted with tiny amounts of stool from an infected person.
It can also be passed on through close contact with someone who has the virus, even if they don’t show any symptoms.
Those at a higher risk of contracting hepatitis A are the unhoused because they usually don’t have access to proper toilets and places to wash their hands. The virus is also more common among travelers to areas with poor sanitation, men who have sex with men and individuals who use drugs.
However, officials state that many of the recent cases have occurred in people who don’t have those risk factors.
The reason is still unclear, but Dr. Timothy Brewer, an infectious disease doctor and researcher at U.C.L.A., expressed concern about two things: contamination of food and the spread of the virus within communities.
“If you’re practicing good hygiene in a community that has access to [drinking] water, you really should not be seeing a lot of this,” Brewer explained to The Times. “Something is going on – but exactly what that something is, we don’t yet know.”
What are the signs of a hepatitis A infection?
Doctors say that the early signs of hepatitis A are similar to those of a regular stomach virus. These signs include fever, tiredness, nausea and loss of appetite, which can later progress to vomiting and diarrhea. People who are infected may eventually develop yellow skin and eyes, dark urine and pale stools.
One big challenge in controlling hepatitis A outbreaks is the difficulty in tracking who has been in contact with an infected person. The virus can take up to seven weeks to show symptoms, and a person can spread it for up to two weeks before they even feel sick.
Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez, an infectious disease specialist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, explained that many people who get infected don’t have serious symptoms. As a result, they don’t seek medical attention, which means the doctor doesn’t do a blood test or report the case.
Severe symptoms are usually found in older adults, individuals with chronic liver problems and those with weakened immune systems or H.I.V. In rare cases, hepatitis A can be deadly. So far, at least seven people have died in this outbreak. While this number might seem high, officials think that many more people have been infected than what is officially reported. They note that most likely, these individuals either had no symptoms or had mild symptoms that were mistaken for something else.
What is the treatment for hepatitis A?
There isn’t a specific antiviral treatment for hepatitis A. Most people recover on their own within a few weeks and they usually don’t suffer long-term liver damage. However, some individuals may need to be hospitalized.
In some situations, the infection can lead to severe liver failure known as fulminant hepatitis, which might require a transplant, according to Jones-Lopez. “It can progress very, very quickly – that’s a very serious disease.”
If you think you might be infected with hepatitis A, it’s crucial to get medical advice right away. You should see a doctor who can confirm the infection with blood tests and give you the right advice on treatment and prevention, as noted by the Mayo Clinic and the CDC.
What steps can I take to protect myself and my family?
Doctors advise that vaccination is the most effective method for preventing hepatitis A.
It involves two doses, given at least six months apart, and the protection lasts a lifetime.
While the vaccine has been commonly administered to children for the past 20 years, many adults aged 25 and older have not received it unless they are in a high-risk category.
It’s important to note that the current outbreak is happening in areas not usually affected, so it urgently “underscores the need to reassess how and where we target prevention efforts,” Dr. Anne Rimoin, an epidemiology professor at U.C.L.A., told The Times. “An infection anywhere is potentially an infection everywhere.”
Experts say that if you are not vaccinated and you know you’ve been exposed to someone with the virus, getting vaccinated quickly can help keep you from getting sick. They also mention that people with weak immune systems who have been exposed might benefit from receiving immune globulin, commonly referred to as antibodies. These are essential proteins taken from human blood plasma that help safeguard the body against harmful germs, such as bacteria and viruses.
Finally, maintaining good hygiene is a wise way to safeguard ourselves. Thoroughly washing our hands with soap and water, particularly after using the restroom and before preparing food, serves as an effective line of defense.
