TY - JOUR
T1 - Viral hepatitis
T2 - Enzyme assays and serologic procedures in the study of an epidemic
AU - Rakela, Jorge
AU - Nugent, Eileen
AU - Mosley, James W.
PY - 1977/12
Y1 - 1977/12
N2 - Rakela, J., E. Nugent and J. W. Mosley (USC School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90007). Viral hepatitis: enzyme assays and serologic procedures in the study of an epidemic. Am J Epidemiol 106:493-501, 1977.An epidemic of viral hepatitis beginning in late 1975 in a residence for multiply handicapped children, recognized very early in its course, was investigated prospectively to permit comparison of enzymatic and serologic tests. Thirty-three residents of the institution and 46 full- and part-time employees were studied by the immune adherence hemagglutination procedure for antibody (anti-HAV) to hepatitis A virus (HAV). Of these, 31 residents and 37 staff members were susceptible at the beginning of the epidemic. Nineteen and six, respectively, had anti-HAV seroconversion indicating HAV infection. Thus, 12 children (39%) and 31 staff members (81%) of presumed susceptibies did not have serologic evidence of infection. The subclinical/clinical ratio for the children was 1.1: 1; for personnel, it was 1: 1. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels compatible with viral hepatitis occurred in 21 persons (84%) who had anti-HAV seroconversion; conversely, there were 10 persons who had ALT abnormality without detectable anti-HAV in late specimens among the total of 68 susceptibles. There was no evidence the latter could be attributed to hepatitis B virus infection; therefore, they may represent the endemic occurrence of non-A, non-B agent(s).
AB - Rakela, J., E. Nugent and J. W. Mosley (USC School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90007). Viral hepatitis: enzyme assays and serologic procedures in the study of an epidemic. Am J Epidemiol 106:493-501, 1977.An epidemic of viral hepatitis beginning in late 1975 in a residence for multiply handicapped children, recognized very early in its course, was investigated prospectively to permit comparison of enzymatic and serologic tests. Thirty-three residents of the institution and 46 full- and part-time employees were studied by the immune adherence hemagglutination procedure for antibody (anti-HAV) to hepatitis A virus (HAV). Of these, 31 residents and 37 staff members were susceptible at the beginning of the epidemic. Nineteen and six, respectively, had anti-HAV seroconversion indicating HAV infection. Thus, 12 children (39%) and 31 staff members (81%) of presumed susceptibies did not have serologic evidence of infection. The subclinical/clinical ratio for the children was 1.1: 1; for personnel, it was 1: 1. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels compatible with viral hepatitis occurred in 21 persons (84%) who had anti-HAV seroconversion; conversely, there were 10 persons who had ALT abnormality without detectable anti-HAV in late specimens among the total of 68 susceptibles. There was no evidence the latter could be attributed to hepatitis B virus infection; therefore, they may represent the endemic occurrence of non-A, non-B agent(s).
KW - Alanine aminotransferase
KW - Epidemics
KW - Hepatitis
KW - Hepatitis A virus
KW - Mental retardation
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U2 - 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112497
DO - 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112497
M3 - Article
C2 - 201170
AN - SCOPUS:0017586828
SN - 0002-9262
VL - 106
SP - 493
EP - 501
JO - American journal of epidemiology
JF - American journal of epidemiology
IS - 6
ER -