Short Reports
Massive hepatitis A outbreak in Sri Lanka in 2009: an indication of increasing susceptibility and epidemiological shift?
Authors:
NJ Dahanayaka,
Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, LK
T Kiyohara,
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki, JP
About T
Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki
SB Agampodi
Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, LK
About SB
Lead Epidemiologist, Tropical Disease Research Unit
Head, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences
Abstract
Sri Lanka experienced an unprecedented outbreak of hepatitis A in 2009. We extracted data from different sources to get a proper estimate of actual disease incidence during that period. This data show a total number of 13,477 cases in 2009 which is one of the largest outbreaks in recent history. We confirmed the etiological diagnosis as hepatitis A among armed forces towards the end of the outbreak. This massive outbreak shows the potential risk of future outbreaks due to epidemiological shifts of hepatitis A infection in Sri Lanka.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v3i2.5640
Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases 2013; Vol.3(2):28-30
How to Cite:
Dahanayaka, N., Kiyohara, T. and Agampodi, S., 2013. Massive hepatitis A outbreak in Sri Lanka in 2009: an indication of increasing susceptibility and epidemiological shift?. Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases, 3(2), pp.28–30. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v3i2.5640
Published on
14 Aug 2013.
Peer Reviewed
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