A multistate outbreak of hepatitis A caused by the consumption of raw oysters

Background. In August 1988 we investigated a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A caused by Panama City, Florida, raw oysters. Methods. Cases of hepatitis A (HA) with onset in July-August 1988 were identified among persons who ate seafoods harvested in the coastal waters of Panama City, Florida. We co...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 81; no. 10; pp. 1268 - 1272
Main Authors:	Desenclos, J.C.A. (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS, Saint Maurice, France), Klontz, K.C, Wilder, M.H, Nainan, O.V, Margolis, H.S, Gunn, R.A
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01-10-1991 American Public Health Association
Subjects:	Adolescent Adult ALIMENTOS Animals BACTERIA COLIFORME BACTERIE COLIFORME Biological and medical sciences Case-Control Studies Child CONTAMINACION CONTAMINATION CONTEO DE CELULAS Disease Outbreaks ENFERMEDADES TRANSM POR ALIMENTOS ENTEROVIRUS Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay EPIDEMIOLOGIA EPIDEMIOLOGIE ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA ETATS UNIS Female Florida Food contamination & poisoning Food Microbiology Foodborne Diseases - epidemiology Foodborne Diseases - etiology Health hazards Hepatitis Hepatitis A Hepatitis A - epidemiology Hepatitis A - etiology HUITRE Human viral diseases Humans Infectious diseases MALADIE TRANSMISSIBLE PAR ALIMENT Male Medical sciences Middle Aged NUMERATION CELLULAIRE OSTRA Ostreidae - microbiology Oysters Perceptions PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE Public health Shellfish Viral diseases Viral hepatitis Water Microbiology United States North America America Florida Infectious focus Human Edible mollusc Microbiological testing Epidemiology Contamination Infection Viral hepatitis A Bivalvia Oyster Viral disease Food poisoning Quality control Water quality Digestive diseases Invertebrata Mollusca Public health Food
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Background. In August 1988 we investigated a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A caused by Panama City, Florida, raw oysters. Methods. Cases of hepatitis A (HA) with onset in July-August 1988 were identified among persons who ate seafoods harvested in the coastal waters of Panama City, Florida. We conducted a case-control study, using eating companions of case-patients, and calculated attack rate (AR) per 1000 dozen raw oysters served. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique were performed on samples of raw shellfish obtained from Panama City coastal waters. Results. Sixty-one case-patients were identified in five states: Alabama (23), Georgia (18), Florida (18), Tennessee (1), and Hawaii (1). We found an increased risk of HA for raw oyster eaters (odds ratio = 24.0; 95% confidence interval = 5.4-215.0; P 0.001). The AR of HA in seafood establishments was 1.9/1000 dozen raw oysters served. The EIA and PCR revealed HA virus antigen and nucleic acid in oysters from both unapproved and approved oyster beds, in confiscated illegally harvested oysters, and in scallops from an approved area. Conclusions. The monitoring of coastal waters and the enforcement of shellfish harvesting regulations were not adequate to protect raw oyster consumers. More emphasis should be placed on increasing public awareness of health hazards associated with eating raw shellfish
Bibliography:	9170274 Q03 T10 ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	0090-0036 1541-0048
DOI:	10.2105/AJPH.81.10.1268