Prevalence and Incidence of Hepatitis A

Contents

Hepatitis A: Introduction
Symptoms
Complications
Misdiagnosis
Statistics
Incidence of Hepatitis A
Prevalence discussion about Hepatitis A
Incidence discussion about Hepatitis A
About prevalence and incidence of Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A: Introduction

Incidence (annual) of Hepatitis A:

32,000 new cases in the USA 1992 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994) ... see also overview of Hepatitis A.

Incidence Rate:

approx 1 in 8,500 or 0.01% or 32,000 people in USA [Source statistic for calcuation: "32,000 new cases in the USA 1992 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)" -- see also general information about data sources]

Incidence extrapolations for USA for Hepatitis A:

32,000 per year, 2,666 per month, 615 per week, 87 per day, 3 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second. [Source statistic for calculation: "32,000 new cases in the USA 1992 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)" -- see also general information about data sources]

Lifetime risk for Hepatitis A:

32 to 38% of population in the USA have history of the HepA disease 1991 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)

Prevalance of Hepatitis A:

About 22,700 cases of hepatitis A representing 38% of all hepatitis cases (5-year average from all routes of transmission) are reported annually in the U.S. (Source: FDA Bad Bug Book) ... 32 to 38 percent of U.S. population that have any history of disease (1991) (Source: excerpt from Digestive Diseases Statistics: NIDDK)

Prevelance of Hepatitis A discussion:

Estimated 125,00200,000 total infections/yearly in United States; 84,000134,000 symptomatic infections/yearly; 100 deaths annually; 33% of Americans have evidence of past infection (immunity) (Source: excerpt from Facts About Hepatitis A and C: CDC-OC)

Incidence of Hepatitis A:

32,000 new cases (1992) (Source: excerpt from Digestive Diseases Statistics: NIDDK)

Outbreaks of Hepatitis A:

Hepatitis A is endemic throughout much of the world. Major national epidemics occurred in 1954, 1961 and 1971. Although no major epidemic occurred in the 1980s, the incidence of hepatitis A in the U.S. increased 58% from 1983 to 1989. Foods have been implicated in over 30 outbreaks since 1983. The most recent ones and the suspected contaminated foods include:

1987 - Louisville, Kentucky. Suspected source: imported lettuce.

1990 - North Georgia. Frozen strawberries. - Montana. Frozen strawberries. - Baltimore. Shellfish./li>

MMWR 42(27):1993: On November 26, 1990, hepatitis A was diagnosed in an employee of a restaurant in Cass County, Missouri. The employee's duties involved washing pots and pans in the restaurant. From December 7, 1990, through January 9, 1991, hepatitis A was diagnosed in 110 persons, including four waitresses, who had eaten at the restaurant; two persons died as a result of fulminant hepatitis.

MMWR 39(14):1990: From 1983 through 1989, the incidence of hepatitis A in the United States increased 58% (from 9.2 to 14.5 cases per 100,000 population). Based on analysis of hepatitis A cases reported to CDC's national Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Program in 1988, 7.3% of hepatitis A cases were associated with foodborne or waterborne outbreaks (1). This report summarizes recent foodborne-related outbreaks of hepatitis A in Alaska, Florida, North Carolina, and Washington.

MMWR 32(50):1983: Two unrelated outbreaks of hepatitis A, involving a total of 326 people, occurred in Oklahoma and Texas during September and October 1983. Both were associated with restaurant food. Hepatitis A was defined as: (1) jaundice or (2) serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase enzyme (SGOT) greater than 100 mIU/ml plus nausea, vomiting, or fever or (3) a positive serum anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) immunoglobulin (IgM).

MMWR 31(12):1982 An increase in the number of hepatitis cases in Monmouth County, New Jersey, was reported to the New Jersey Department of Health on June 15, 1981. Investigation by state and local area health departments revealed that 56 cases of hepatitis had occurred during the first 3 weeks of June in an area of Monmouth County where the usual average is 3-4 cases/ month. Detailed food histories revealed that, within the appropriate incubation period for hepatitis A, 55 of the 56 patients had eaten at a Mexican style restaurant. (Source: FDA Bad Bug Book)

Incidence statistics for Hepatitis A:

The following statistics relate to the incidence of Hepatitis A:

23,229 cases annually (1998)
17,047 annual cases notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999)
1.59 per 100,000 in Canada 2000¹
150,000 cases each year in the US (Blood Safety Surveillance and Health Care Acquired Infections Division, Health Canada)
more statistics...»

More Statistics about Hepatitis A:

Hospitalization statistics

All statistics for Hepatitis A

About prevalence and incidence statistics:

The term 'prevalence' of Hepatitis A usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Hepatitis A at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Hepatitis A refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Hepatitis A diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.

Footnotes:
1. Notifiable Diseases Online, PPHB, Canada, 2000

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