Osong Public Health Res Perspect.  2023 Feb;14(1):15-22. 10.24171/j.phrp.2022.0305.

The first reported hepatitis E outbreak in a food manufacturing factory: Korea, 2022

• Yeom H
• Seo S
• Yoon Y
• Lee J
• Han MG
• Lee DY
• Park SW
• Park SA
• Jeong SH
• Gwack J

• KMID: 2540303
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2022.0305

Abstract

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.

Keyword

Asymptomatic infections; Diseases outbreaks; Hepatitis E; Korea