MARYSVILLE — Four people with a history of illicit drug use and living homeless in Marysville and Tulalip have recently been hospitalized with hepatitis A, and the Snohomish Health District is warning that there could be others.
Investigations of the four cases were completed Tuesday, confirming the highly contagious liver infection. One of the patients has been released from the hospital.
“Right now we are focusing on reaching out to local police and fire partners as well as groups that support homeless populations to provide sanitation guidelines,” said Heather Thomas, a health district spokeswoman.
Thomas said it is unknown if these cases are related to a statewide hepatitis A outbreak in July.
A hepatitis A case was confirmed in Skagit County earlier this week, but it’s unclear if that case is related to the ones in Snohomish County.
“It is a very contagious infection, easily spread person-to-person in places where there is less than ideal hygiene, unsanitary living conditions and drug use, sharing drugs or in close quarters,” Thomas said.
Hepatitis A is not airborne. The spread is common through food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person or by personal contact. It can be a mild or severe illness, lasting from a few weeks to several months. Even mildly ill people can be highly infectious.
The early signs are fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark urine and jaundice.
The best prevention is getting vaccinated with two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine. Vaccination is recommended for all children starting at age 1, for travelers to certain countries, and for people at high risk for infection with the virus.
People in high-risk groups should avoid sharing food, drinks, drug paraphernalia and other personal items.
In August, a Lynnwood teriyaki restaurant was closed for two days by the health district after a worker tested positive for hepatitis A.
Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.
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