A community-wide hepatitis A outbreak in the Shoalhaven region, New South Wales.
We investigated a community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A virus infection in the Shoalhaven region of the New South Wales south coast. Epidemiological features of the outbreak suggested that transmission was predominantly person-to-person. These included: the prolonged course of the epidemic, the bimodal age-specific attack rate, the lower socioeconomic risk groups affected, and the large proportion of cases who reported prior contact with another case. Although widespread use of post-exposure immunoprophylaxis appeared to be effective in preventing symptomatic infection in individuals, it did not rapidly halt the outbreak. We review methods of mass intervention for community-wide outbreaks of hepatitis A virus infection, and define priorities for investigation of future outbreaks.
Heath
T
T
Western Sector Public Health Unit, North Parramatta New South Wales.
Lovegrove
D
D
Westley-Wise
V
V
Roberts
C
C
D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology