An outbreak of hepatitis A during a military field training exercise.
Hepatitis A continues to pose a preventable threat to modern day military forces. We describe a food-borne outbreak of hepatitis A during a field training exercise resulting in 22 ill soldiers and over 300 lost work days. Among the population at risk, the secondary attack rate was 19.6%. Faced with epidemic disease occurrence, epidemiologic investigation of potential cases and aggressive use of post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended in a field setting. Although immune serum globulin is likely to reduce transmission, not all cases of acute hepatitis A will be prevented by this action.
Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431-5000.
M V
MV
Rubertone
R F
RF
DeFraites
M R
MR
Krauss
C A
CA
Brandt
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D014861:Washington
D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies