Hepatitis hits 46 men in city

AN OUTBREAK of hepatitis A has affected 46 men who live in the city, the Health Department said Friday.

The patients were mostly men who had sex with men or had sexual contact with men between Jan. 2 and Aug. 31, the department said.

One of the cases was a woman reporting sexual contact with a bisexual man, the Department of Health said.

The agency is recommending that men who have regular sexual contact with other men be vaccinated against hepatitis A.

Of the 46 cases, only three patients with the infection reported previously receiving a hepatitis A vaccine.

The majority of the patients, 37, had not traveled to countries where hepatitis A is present.

The bump in hepatitis infections was a significant increase over the last six years, the Health Department said.

Fifteen of the 46 patients were hospitalized, and all patients have since recovered.

Patients resided in all five boroughs and ranged in age from 19 to 55 years.

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease that may have severe effects, especially in adults.