Viral Hepatitis B, 2015

In 2015, 19 cases of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (0.3 per 100,000 population) were reported. In 2012, the case definition for acute hepatitis B was revised to include laboratory confirmed asymptomatic acute cases. Three of the 19 cases of acute hepatitis B were asymptomatic, laboratory-confirmed infections.

Acute cases ranged in age from 22 to 65 years (median, 42 years). Fifteen (79%) cases were residents of the metropolitan area, including 9 (47%) in Hennepin County and 3 (16%) in Ramsey County. Fifteen (79%) cases were male and 8 (42%) were adolescents or young adults between 13 - 39 years of age. Race was known for 14 cases; of those, 9 were white, 2 were black, 2 were multi-racial, and 1 was Asian. Hispanic ethnicity was reported for 1 case. Incidence rates were higher among Asians (0.4 per 100,000) and blacks (0.6 per 100,000), than among non-Hispanic whites (0.2 per 100,000).

One hundred sixty-five reports of newly identified cases of confirmed chronic HBV infection were received in 2015. A total of 23,855 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HBV. The median age of chronic HBV cases in Minnesota is 45 years.

In addition to the 19 hepatitis B cases, 3 perinatal infections were identified in infants who tested positive for HBsAg during post-vaccination screening performed between 9 and 15 months of age. The perinatal cases were born in 2013 and 2014. The infected infants were born in the United States and had received hepatitis B immune globulin and 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine in accordance with the recommended schedule and were therefore considered treatment failures. Infants born to HBV-infected women are followed and receive hepatitis B immune globulin, 3 doses of the hepatitis B vaccine, and post-vaccination serologic testing. Three hundred forty-six infants born to HBV-infected women in 2014 had post-serologic testing demonstrating no infection.

• For up to date information see>> Hepatitis B
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2015