Investigations of An Outbreak of Hepatitis A in Sanmin Township, Kaohsiung County

S.F. Hsieh

1993 Vol.9 NO.8

Correspondence Author：

Abstract：

On 4 March 1993, the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control of the department of Health (DOH) was informed by the Kaohsiung County Health Bureau that between December 1992 and February 1993, in an aboriginal village of Sanmin Township, Kaohsiung County, there had been around 13 cases of jaundice, all aged between 3 and 9 years. Of these, 5 had developed symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, fever and jaundice and had been hospitalized. The Sanmin Health Station had taken blood samples from the 17 suspects (including 3 hospitalized in the Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital). The blood samples were sent to the National Institute of Preventive Medicine for testing, resulting in 11 suspects being found to be 1gM anti-HAV positive. To understand the sources and routes of infection, the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) of the National Institute of Preventive Medicine and the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, both of DOH, initiated an investigation on 8 March 1993 and an action for effective preventive measures.