Outbreak of hepatitis A on an offshore petroleum platform, Alaska

An outbreak of 8 cases of hepatitis A among the 36-member crew of an offshore Alaska petroleum production platform was linked to a previous outbreak in an urban day-care center. Transmission of hepatitis A on the platform related most plausibly to refrigerated food items contaminated by a cook with mild disease. Control efforts included identifying and treating contacts of case patients who had traveled far from the platform before becoming ill. Early serologic confirmation of diagnosed cases and rapid reporting to public health authorities are essential to prevent disease transmission. Timely investigation can limit the administration of immune globulin to persons at high risk of contracting the disease.