By Bobby Hildebrand

In August of 2017, Hepatitis A broke out in several states locally Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Now, in 2018, 761 cases have been confirmed in Kentucky since 2017. There have been five confirmed cases and six potential cases in Cincinnati. We interviewed Oyler Nurse Practitioner, Doctor Dilruba about the breakouts in Cincinnati, and she said, “Hepatitis A is highly contagious, and to avoid contracting the sickness you need to wash your hands frequently, especially after using the restroom because the disease is found in your stool and blood.”

Signs of Hepatitis A are fever, fatigue, and joint pain. People with this disease usually are affected for roughly 3-6 months. In rare cases, this disease may cause ‘yellow jaundice’, or liver damage. But in most cases, this disease is not fatal. There are two vaccines you can receive, six months apart, to prevent the disease. The first vaccine is commonly given at the age of one. This disease does heal slowly on its own, but it’s easily avoided by keeping your hands clean and receiving vaccinations.