outbreak of viral hepatitis E

ABSTRACT

An outbreak of acute hepatitis E virus [HEV] infection occurred from the beginning of June 1998 till the end of July 1998 at one of PAF bases in Karachi. The epidemic was water borne and confined to base personnel out of whom 204 hospitalized icteric patients were studied. The clinical course was mild and short without any progression to fulminant hepatitis or death. All cases were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], 10 for hepatitis C virus antibodies [Anti-HCV] and HEV antibodies [Anti HEV]. Anti HCV was negative in all the cases and Anti HEV was positive in all the tested cases. The need for an easily available, inexpensive serological test for HEV infection, protection of water supplies from fecal contamination, adequate chlorination and/or boiling of drinking water and health education about personal and environmental hygiene, especially in communities at high risk is stressed