Hepatitis A infections in intravenous drug users, Finland, 2002

In 2002, 385 microbiologically confirmed cases of hepatitis A were reported in Finland (annual incidence 7.4/100 000). This was substantially more than during the previous three years, when 48 to 51 annual cases were reported (incidence 1.0/100 000/year). The incidence among men (9.9/100 000/year) was almost twice as high as that in women (5.0/100 000/year). The median age of cases was 28 years (range 0–74), and the highest rates of disease (44.8/100 000/year) were among persons aged between 20 and 29 years who accounted for 139 (36%) of all cases (Figure 1).