title: An outbreak of foodborne hepatitis A in a factory: a possible shift in age of patients in Japan.
abstract: We investigated extensively an outbreak of hepatitis A at a factory in suburban Nagoya. Epidemiological study indicated a foodborne outbreak by a supplier of lunches. Serologically, all the employees younger than 30 years of age had been susceptible to hepatitis A virus, but the highest morbidity was observed in the 40-44 age group. The age difference in morbidity from foodborne hepatitis and susceptible populations suggests a shift in mean patient age linked to a shift in antibody prevalence to hepatitis A virus. In communities where the prevalence started shifting after development of sanitary systems, effective prophylaxis for foodborne hepatitis A will be necessary to prevent the disease in an increasing number of older patients in a few decades.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichimiya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuji
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakumu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005506:Food Contamination; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies