Forgotten but Not Gone: Learning From the Hepatitis A Outbreak and Public Health Response in San Diego

The recent hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak in San Diego was driven by homelessness, associated sanitation conditions, and illicit drug use. As with an outbreak in Michigan, fueled by similar factors, morbidity and mortality were higher than what has been observed with post-vaccine era foodborne HAV outbreaks. Control of the outbreak in San Diego was accomplished with vaccine, sanitation, and education initiatives that targeted those at highest risk. Mass vaccination events and mobile foot teams and vans brought education and vaccine to high-risk individuals in affected areas. The homelessness crisis in San Diego and in many locales throughout the United States poses risk of increasing numbers of outbreaks of HAV and other infectious illnesses. This article summarizes an IAS-USA continuing education webinar given by Darcy A. Wooten, MD, on July 19, 2018