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Viral hepatitis associated with day-care centers
JAMA
|October 5, 1979
Summary
Day-care centers can be sources of non-B viral hepatitis outbreaks. Adult contacts, especially parents of young children, are at highest risk, indicating these outbreaks may be underestimated.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Non-B viral hepatitis outbreaks can occur in community settings.
- Day-care centers are potential hubs for infectious disease transmission.
- Previous understanding may underestimate the role of day-care centers in hepatitis transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate outbreaks of non-B viral hepatitis linked to Louisiana day-care centers.
- To identify transmission patterns and risk factors associated with these outbreaks.
- To assess the extent to which day-care associated hepatitis cases were misclassified.
Main Methods:
- Conducted epidemiological investigations of 11 non-B viral hepatitis outbreaks.
- Data collection spanned from September 1976 to March 1978 in Louisiana.
- Analyzed case data, focusing on affected individuals and their contact networks.
Main Results:
- 168 cases of non-B viral hepatitis were linked to 11 day-care center outbreaks.
- Most cases (85%) occurred in adult contacts of children attending the centers.
- Parents of 1- to 2-year-old children in day-care were identified as a high-risk group.
Conclusions:
- Day-care center outbreaks of non-B viral hepatitis are often overlooked.
- These outbreaks can significantly contribute to the overall hepatitis burden in a community.
- Increased awareness and surveillance are needed to detect and manage such transmissions.