Hepatitis A infection reports increased 294% in the United States during 2016-2018

An observational study examined hepatitis A virus infection reports in the United States. The analysis compared reporting periods from 2013-2015 to 2016-2018. The study did not report sample size, specific population characteristics, or the setting beyond the national level.

The main finding was a 294% increase in reports of hepatitis A infections during the 2016-2018 period compared with the 2013-2015 baseline. No absolute case numbers, p-values, or confidence intervals were reported for this increase. The study did not identify or report on any specific intervention, exposure, or comparator that might explain this change.

Safety and tolerability data were not reported. Key limitations include the observational nature of the data, which cannot establish causality, and the lack of reported details on sample size, methodology, and potential confounders. The study did not report funding sources or conflicts of interest.

For practice, this surveillance data suggests a substantial increase in reported hepatitis A infections in the United States during the specified period. However, without information on causes, exposures, or affected subpopulations, the clinical relevance remains unclear. This finding highlights the need for continued surveillance and more detailed epidemiological investigation to understand the drivers of this increase.