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Acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is vaccine-preventable and is typically more severe with increasing age. Recent reports have documented a rise in HAV outbreaks between 2005 and 2011.
To evaluate changes in the epidemiology of acute HAV-related hospitalizations from 2002 through 2011, investigators conducted a retrospective, descriptive study using discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample, a cross-sectional sample that includes 20% of all community-hospital discharges.
Results were as follows:
The overall rate of hospitalizations for HAV infection as a principal diagnosis decreased from 0.72 to 0.29 per 100,000 persons (P<0.0001); however, increases did occur in certain subpopulations.
The mean age of persons hospitalized increa…