Outbreak of hepatitis A in Korean military personnel.
This report describes a hepatitis A outbreak among Korean military personnel. Each case of hepatitis A in this outbreak was defined as a person who had symptoms compatible with acute viral hepatitis A and had positive HAV IgM between May 2 and August 14, 2007 in Inje district, Gangwon, Korea. We tested 70 cases with symptoms for HAV IgM, and 67 cases showed positive results. They included 4 sergeants, 1 officer and 62 privates. A positive result for HAV IgG among asymptomatic military personnel was seen in 11.8% of cases. This epidemic occurred after a heavy rainfall in the military compound area where drinking water was supplied by the stream water. After the outbreak, the supply of drinking water was switched to a public water system. All of 178 military personnel who had no HAV IgG were vaccinated on July 26, 2007. The outbreak was resolved after the control measures were implemented.
Lee
Chang-Seop
CS
Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Ju-Hyung
JH
Kwon
Keun-Sang
KS
D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000821:virology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008889:Military Personnel; D014876:Water Pollution; D014881:Water Supply
D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M