Hepatitis A Outbreak with the Concurrence of Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Poona Infection in Children of Urban Vellore, South India

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Jun;102(6):1249-1252. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0742.

Abstract

We investigated an outbreak of hepatitis A infection among children in an urban settlement of Vellore, South India. A total of 58 cases of jaundice were reported between April and August 2019. Sera from children who presented with jaundice were tested for hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgM. HAV IgM was positive in 18 (94.7%) of the 19 cases tested. These children also received a blood culture at the same time, as a part of the ongoing Surveillance for Enteric Fever in India (SEFI). Blood cultures from three children with confirmed hepatitis A infection grew Salmonella sp.: two with Salmonella Typhi and one with Salmonella Poona. Salmonella Poona is being reported for the first time from India. The overall hospitalization rate during the outbreak was 21%. Outbreaks of hepatitis A continue to occur with substantial morbidity in children from endemic settings, with notable emergence of other concurrent enteric infections, thereby warranting continued surveillance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Coinfection
  • Female
  • Hepatitis A / complications*
  • Hepatitis A / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Salmonella / classification*
  • Salmonella Infections / complications*
  • Salmonella Infections / epidemiology
  • Salmonella Infections / microbiology*
  • Urban Population*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin M