Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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Hepatitis A Outbreak in a Facility for the Disabled, Gyeonggi Province, Korea: An Epidemiological Investigation

  • Chang, Yeonhwa (Infectious Disease Control Center, Gyeonggi Provincial Government) ;
  • Kim, Chanhee (Infectious Disease Control Center, Gyeonggi Provincial Government) ;
  • Kim, Nayoung (Regional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) ;
  • Kim, Joon Jai (Infectious Disease Control Center, Gyeonggi Provincial Government) ;
  • Lee, Heeyoung (Korea Center for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital)
  • Received : 2021.06.22
  • Accepted : 2021.08.11
  • Published : 2021.09.30
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Abstract

Objectives: The number of cases of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections has sharply increased in Korea, especially among young adults. In this study, an HAV outbreak in a facility for disabled people was investigated, and we found epidemiological differences both between 2 different generations and between generally abled and disabled groups. Methods: We analyzed the incubation period and attack rate of an HAV outbreak and investigated the prevalence of HAV antibodies among the staff and residents of a facility for the disabled. We performed a retrospective cohort study during the HAV outbreak, which lasted from February 8 to 25, 2019, including examinations of HAV antibody tests and post-exposure HAV vaccination for the staff or residents of the facility. Results: There were 9 confirmed cases in 2 staff members and 7 residents. Among 53 people (30 staff and 23 residents), except for the 9 confirmed cases and 1 staff member with a known history of HAV infection, HAV seroprevalence was seen in 16.7% of the staff under 40 years of age and 95.2% of those over 40 years of age, while the corresponding rates in the residents were 0.0% and 58.8%, respectively. Conclusions: This result implies that it is necessary to prioritize HAV vaccination for vulnerable groups and workers of residential care facilities.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We thank all public health officers of the Paju Health Center and microbiologists of the Gyeonggi Institute of Health & Environment.

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