Importance of molecular typing in confirmation of the source of a national hepatitis A virus outbreak in Norway and the detection of a related cluster in Germany

Arch Virol. 2015 Nov;160(11):2823-6. doi: 10.1007/s00705-015-2531-y. Epub 2015 Aug 7.

Abstract

In March 2014, after an increase of notifications of domestically acquired hepatitis A virus infections, an outbreak investigation was launched in Norway. Sequenced-based typing results showed that these cases were associated with a strain that was identical to one causing an ongoing multinational outbreak in Europe linked to frozen mixed berries. Thirty-three confirmed cases with the outbreak strain were notified in Norway from November 2013 to June 2014. Epidemiological evidence and trace-back investigations linked the outbreak to the consumption of a berry mix cake. Identification of the hepatitis A virus outbreak strain in berries from one of the implicated cakes confirmed the cake to be the source. Subsequently, a cluster in Germany linked to the cake was also identified.

MeSH terms

  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Fruit / virology
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis A / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis A / virology*
  • Hepatitis A virus / classification
  • Hepatitis A virus / genetics
  • Hepatitis A virus / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Typing
  • Norway / epidemiology