Infections among young men triple the number of hepatitis A cases in Catalonia.
Although infection in children is of little concern, it can be fatal in adults.
BarcelonaCases of hepatitis A are on the rise in Catalonia, and last year diagnoses tripled, now reaching more than 100. In fact, between 2022 and 2024, 164 people have been identified with the disease, almost 60% of them in the last year. Public Health officials in Catalonia warn that this increase is rare and assure that they are trying to determine the mechanism driving the rise in infections.
Until now, cases were commonly seen among minors, but this time they are diagnosing mostly young men. Hepatitis A is an infectious disease that causes inflammation of the liver. Unlike hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A is not usually serious, does not become chronic, and does not cause long-term liver damage. When minors contract it, the most common symptom is diarrhea without major complications. However, when the person affected is an adult, the infection can be fatal. In fact, of the 164 people diagnosed with hepatitis A, two have died.
The Deputy Director General of Public Health Surveillance and Emergency Response, Jacobo Mendioroz, explains to ARA that the cases are occurring in unvaccinated people, since the immunization works very well, provides lifelong protection, and has been included in the vaccination schedule since 1998. Transmission of the disease is via the fecal-oral route. Therefore, it is common to become infected through contaminated water, although the disease can also be contracted through risky sexual practices.
Swimming pools and saunas
One of the hypotheses that Public Health professionals are working with is that the sources of infection are swimming pools or saunas, spaces where the disease is easy to contract. Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 17 outbreaks have been reported, almost half of which occurred in the last year. By distribution of cases, Barcelona is the province with the most reported cases overall (28.6%), followed by Barcelonès Nord-Maresme (20.1%). However, the increase is widespread: last year, a large part of the territory saw an increase in notifications, in some cases doubling the figures recorded during previous years.
In Catalonia, vaccination against hepatitis A is routine and is administered in two doses, at 15 months and 6 years of age. Furthermore, the vaccine is selectively indicated for susceptible individuals who belong to certain risk groups, such as those with chronic liver disease (liver disease lasting more than six months) and travelers to hepatitis A endemic areas, which are more common in developing countries with poor sanitation.
