Hepatitis A Group Infection Occurs Shellfish

Hepatitis A Group Infection Occurs Shellfish

A group of hepatitis A infections occurred. All infected people were found to have consumed the same clams.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiated an epidemiologic investigation in cooperation with Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gumi-si to identify the cause of infection and block transmission of the first hepatitis A outbreak this year.

As a result of epidemiological investigation, from the end of March to April, 6 people who used a restaurant in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do had hepatitis A. All of them were found to have eaten shellfish from the restaurant.

In response to this, the Center for Disease Control and Gumi stopped supplying salted fish to the restaurants, and collected stored salted fish to request the hepatitis A virus test, and the cooking worker is exempting the work and examining whether hepatitis A is infected.

To prevent further transmission of contact persons, such as domestic partners of hepatitis A diagnosed persons, vaccination was carried out, and the distribution route of clams is being grasped.

According to epidemiological findings of patients with hepatitis A, the incidence of shellfish intake and the incidence of patients have increased in recent years. As there is a possibility that the occurrence of hepatitis A due to shellfish without safety is continuously increased, attention should be paid to shellfish intake. Do not eat shellfish without safety, and cook shellfish.

Immunization is recommended for people who are not immune to hepatitis A. High risk groups of hepatitis A, such as those with chronic liver disease, who were born between 1970 and 1999, with a high incidence of patients, are eligible for free vaccination in the country.

In the 20s and 30s (born from 1980 to 1999), immunization is performed immediately without antibody testing, considering the low antibody retention rate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the local government receive personal information of persons who have had a history of treatment as a target disease from the National Health Insurance Corporation, and send and guide individual notification texts. Subjects can go to a health center or a designated medical institution to check whether they are eligible, and then receive antibody tests and immunizations.

Jung Eun-kyung, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, “The number of patients with hepatitis A increased last year, and the number of patients has decreased rapidly since recommending to stop eating. "For the prevention of hepatitis A, we recommend that you follow the precautions against hepatitis A, such as stopping the intake of shellfish without safety and receiving immunization."