A large outbreak of hepatitis A in a day-care center: association with non-toilet-trained children and persistence of IgM antibody to hepatitis A virus.
In early summer, 1979, a large outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in an Oklahoma day-care center. A total of 41 cases were confirmed, all in adults. Of the 115 non-employee households represented by children in the center, 19 households (16.5%) had one or more cases of hepatitis. Hepatitis occurred in 29% of the households with at least one non-toilet-trained child, compared to 2% of the households without such a child (p = 0.00004). At least four (15%) of 27 center employees had hepatitis. Of 26 cases tested serologically, all were positive for hepatitis A antibody (anti-HAV), and 24 of these 26 were also positive for anti-HAV of immunoglobulin class M (anti-HAV IgM), at an average time after onset of illness of 80 days (range, 38-142 days). Three of ten persons remained anti-HAV IgM-positive 164 days after onset.
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D009825:Oklahoma; D014039:Toilet Training
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M