Hepatitis E outbreak in Sudan

ABSTRACT

Between epidemiological week no 9 and 20 of 2008 [week ending 22 May 2008], the Red sea state of Sudan reported 208 cases of Acute Jaundice Syndrome [AJS] including 16 deaths [CFR 7.6%]. Five serum samples, collected from the suspected cases, have tested positive for Hepatitis E at the National Public Health Laboratory [NPHL] in Khartoum. Most of these reported cases are females [72%] and majority of the cases [86%] are in the 15-44 year age group. Amongst the female cases, pregnant women [90%] constituted the majority of cases. The case fatality rate amongst the pregnant women was reported to be 37.5%. A Task force has been established in the affected state with a senior official incharge from the Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan to coordinate the overall public health response to contain this outbreak. The WHO Country Office in Sudan has been actively supporting this task force in its response operations