Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013
Objective: A cluster of suspected hepatitis A cases was notified to the Fiji Ministry of Health on 22 October 2013. An outbreak investigation team was mobilized to confirm the existence of an outbreak of hepatitis A and advise appropriate public health interventions. Methods: A case definition fo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Western Pacific Surveillance and Response |
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| _version_ | 1818866131668041728 |
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| author | Aneley Getahun Eric Rafai Maria Ximena Tolosa Akanisi Dawainavesi Anaseini Maisema Tabua Josefa Tabua |
| author_facet | Aneley Getahun Eric Rafai Maria Ximena Tolosa Akanisi Dawainavesi Anaseini Maisema Tabua Josefa Tabua |
| author_sort | Aneley Getahun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: A cluster of suspected hepatitis A cases was notified to the Fiji Ministry of Health on 22 October 2013. An outbreak investigation team was mobilized to confirm the existence of an outbreak of hepatitis A and advise appropriate public health interventions.
Methods: A case definition for the outbreak investigation was established, and standardized data collection tools were used to collect information on clinical presentation and risk factors. An environmental assessment was also conducted.
Results: There were 160 clinical cases of hepatitis A of which 15 were laboratory-confirmed. The attack rate was 349 per 10 000 population in the Nukuloa nursing zone; there were no reported deaths. Residents of the Nukuloa settlement were 6.6 times more likely to present with symptomatic hepatitis A infection (95% confidence interval: 3.8–12.6) compared with residents of another village with a different water supply.
Discussion: This is the first significant hepatitis A outbreak documented in Ba subdivision and possibly in Fiji. Enhanced surveillance of hepatitis A may reveal other clusters in the country. Improving the primary water source dramatically reduced the occurance of disease in the affected community and adjacent areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:58:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1f59c13dcdf64662b865fb0b61ebd437 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2094-7321 2094-7321 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:58:34Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Pacific Surveillance and Response |
| spelling | doaj.art-1f59c13dcdf64662b865fb0b61ebd4372022-12-21T20:24:43ZengWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificWestern Pacific Surveillance and Response2094-73212094-73212015-06-0162323610.5365/wpsar.2014.5.4.006Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013Aneley Getahun0Eric Rafai1Maria Ximena Tolosa2Akanisi Dawainavesi3Anaseini Maisema Tabua4Josefa Tabua5School of Public Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Fiji National University, Suva, FijiFiji Ministry of Health, Suva, FijiAustralian Volunteer for International Development, Suva, FijiFiji Centre Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health, Suva, FijiBa Medical Subdivision, Western Health Services, Suva, FijiBa Medical Subdivision, Western Health Services, Suva, FijiObjective: A cluster of suspected hepatitis A cases was notified to the Fiji Ministry of Health on 22 October 2013. An outbreak investigation team was mobilized to confirm the existence of an outbreak of hepatitis A and advise appropriate public health interventions. Methods: A case definition for the outbreak investigation was established, and standardized data collection tools were used to collect information on clinical presentation and risk factors. An environmental assessment was also conducted. Results: There were 160 clinical cases of hepatitis A of which 15 were laboratory-confirmed. The attack rate was 349 per 10 000 population in the Nukuloa nursing zone; there were no reported deaths. Residents of the Nukuloa settlement were 6.6 times more likely to present with symptomatic hepatitis A infection (95% confidence interval: 3.8–12.6) compared with residents of another village with a different water supply. Discussion: This is the first significant hepatitis A outbreak documented in Ba subdivision and possibly in Fiji. Enhanced surveillance of hepatitis A may reveal other clusters in the country. Improving the primary water source dramatically reduced the occurance of disease in the affected community and adjacent areas.Hepatitis AoutbreakFijiPacific island countries |
| spellingShingle | Aneley Getahun Eric Rafai Maria Ximena Tolosa Akanisi Dawainavesi Anaseini Maisema Tabua Josefa Tabua Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013 Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Hepatitis A outbreak Fiji Pacific island countries |
| title | Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013 |
| title_full | Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013 |
| title_fullStr | Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013 |
| title_short | Hepatitis A outbreak in Ba subdivision, Fiji, October–December 2013 |
| title_sort | hepatitis a outbreak in ba subdivision fiji october december 2013 |
| topic | Hepatitis A outbreak Fiji Pacific island countries |
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