‘Type A’ Hepatitis Case Increase Seen

So-called “Type A” hepatitis, a liver disease traditionally linked to poor hygiene, is showing up more and more in outbreaks among drug abusers, federal health researchers say.

Outbreaks of hepatitis A among drug abusers have occurred in California, New York and a variety of other locations across the country in the last two years, the national Centers for Disease Control said.

Hepatitis B, a blood-borne disease, has for some time been known to plague intravenous drug abusers, who can pass the disease through sharing of contaminated needles.

“But it’s only newly recognized that they are a risk group for hepatitis A,” Shapiro said. Hepatitis A is often transmitted in cases of poor hygiene, through fecal contamination.

Between 1982 and 1986, the percentage of hepatitis A patients admitting previous use of injectable drugs rose from 4% to 19%, according to the CDC’s Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Program.

Two explanations have been proposed for the new link between hepatitis A and drug abuse, the CDC said. The illness may be spread through use of drugs contaminated with the virus, or may be spread in direct person-to-person contact, perhaps in needle sharing, sexual contact or poor personal hygiene.