13 confirmed cases of hepatitis A in Martin County
Health officials in Martin County say there have been 13 confirmed cases of hepatitis A since January.
The deaths of Jeffrey Kirsch and his wife, Nancy, were first deemed suspicious. It was later confirmed they both died from complications of Hepatitis A.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus.
It is usually transmitted person-to-person through the fecal-oral route or consumption of contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis A is a self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection.
Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, that usually resolve within 2 months of infection; most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection.
Antibodies produced in response to hepatitis A infection last for life and protect against reinfection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated.