Confirmed Foodborne Hepatitis A in Saudi Arabia, 2005-2015

Background Foodborne hepatitis A has major health and economic impacts. Pathogen-specific surveillance based on laboratory findings is conducted to detect and confirm cases of foodborne hepatitis A. Foodborne hepatitis A is on the priority list of diseases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Objectives This study aimed to describe the characteristics of confirmed foodborne hepatitis A in the KSA from 2005 to 2015. Methods A cross-sectional study of confirmed foodborne hepatitis A in the KSA from 2005 to 2015 was conducted, and data collection was through retrospective chart review. Results The number of hepatitis A cases that have been confirmed and reported to the Ministry of Health during the study period was 11148, and the Riyadh health region had more reported cases (1353 cases; 12.1%) than any other region. The highest number of cases (2631 cases; 23.6%) was recorded in 2006, and the incidence of foodborne hepatitis A was found to be highest in the month of March (1439; 12.9%). Further, the incidence of foodborne hepatitis A was highest in the five-to-14-years age group, in male individuals, and in Saudi nationals at 59% (6556 cases), 55% (6076 cases), and 88% (9775 cases), respectively. Conclusion The characteristics of foodborne hepatitis A vary according to time, place, and person. These variations may reflect differences in reporting systems and in preventive measures between health regions, seasons, and habits of the Saudi population.