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KMID : 1120220230140010015
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Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives
2023 Volume.14 No. 1 p.15 ~ p.22
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The first reported hepatitis E outbreak in a food manufacturing factory: Korea, 2022
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Yeom Han-Sol
Seo Soon-Ryu
Yoon Young-Sil
Lee Jae-Eun
Han Myung-Guk
Lee Deog-Yong
Park Sun-Whan
Park Song-A
Jeong Sook-Hyang
Gwack Jin
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Abstract
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Objectives: On February 16, 2022, 12 cases of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection were reported in a food manufacturing factory in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify additional cases and to determine the source of this HEV outbreak.
Methods: This study was an in-depth investigation of 12 HEV immunoglobulin M (IgM)-positive cases and their demographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics. On-site specimens were collected from the environment and from humans, and a follow-up investigation was conducted 2 to 3 months after the outbreak.
Results: Among 80 production workers in the factory, 12 (15.0%) had acute HEV infection, all of whom were asymptomatic. The follow-up investigation showed that 3 cases were HEV IgM-positive, while 6 were HEV IgG-positive. HEV genes were not detected in the HEV IgM-positive specimens. HEV genes were not detected in the food products or environmental specimens collected on-site. HEV was presumed to be the causative pathogen. However, it could not be confirmed that the source of infection was common consumption inside the factory.
Conclusion: This was the first domestic case of an HEV infection outbreak in a food manufacturing factory in Korea. Our results provide information for the future control of outbreaks and for the preparation of measures to prevent domestic outbreaks of HEV infection.
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KEYWORD
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Asymptomatic infections, Diseases outbreaks, Hepatitis E, Korea
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