ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of generic fixed-dose combination of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine; GPO-vir in advanced HIV infection. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Open-label combined prospective and retrospective study involving 102 HIV infected patients with baseline CD4 cell count < 100 cells/mm3. All patients received GPO-vir for 48 weeks. The CD4 cell count and plasma viral load (pVL) was measured at 48 weeks. RESULTS: The median baseline CD4 cell count and pVL were 13 cells/mm3 and 363,500 copies/ml, respectively. At 48 weeks, the median CD4 cell count increased to 191 cells/mm3 and 63.7% in intention-to treat and 82.3% in on-treatment analysis had pVL < 50 copies/ml. There was no significant difference in pVL between patients with baseline pVL > 100,000 or < or = 100,000 copies/ml (p = 0.312). The incidence of hepatotoxicity, rash and peripheral neuropathy was 4.9%, 14.7% and 6.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: GPO-vir was well tolerated and effective in increasing CD4 cell count and suppressing plasma viremia in advanced HIV infection during the 48 weeks follow-up period.