Acute hepatitis due to hepatitis A virus during the 2017 epidemic expansion in Asturias. Spain

Abstract

Introduction: Since June 2016, there has been an increase in cases of acute hepatitis A (AHA) in several European countries, mainly affecting men who have sex with men (MSM). The aim was to know the characteristics of AHA diagnosed in recent months, comparing them with a previous series.

Patients and methods: All cases of AHA diagnosed in adults between November 2016 and December 2017 (G-I; n=108) were prospectively collected and compared with a series also prospectively collected between January 2004 and September 2016 (G-II; n=49), analysing clinical and epidemiological characteristics.

Results: Compared with group II, in group I there was a greater proportion of males (95.4 vs. 81.6%; p=0.005), of MSM (63.9 vs. 22.4%; p<0.001), of cases with positive luetic serology (20.4 vs 2%; p=0.001) and of severe acute hepatitis (15 vs. 4%; p=0.043).

Conclusions: AHA diagnosed in recent months in our environment mainly affect MSM and have a more serious presentation with respect to what was observed in a historical series, highlighting the need to increase the vaccination rate against the hepatitis A virus.

Keywords: Acute hepatitis A; Brote epidémico; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis aguda A; Hombres que mantienen sexo con hombres; Men who have sex with men; Outbreaks; Virus de la hepatitis A.