An outbreak of hepatitis A associated with swimming in a public pool

J Infect Dis. 1992 Apr;165(4):613-8. doi: 10.1093/infdis/165.4.613.

Abstract

A multistate outbreak of hepatitis A was traced to a campground in Louisiana. Among 822 campers during one weekend, 20 developed hepatitis A. Case-patients ranged in age from 4 to 36 years; the highest attack rate (6.4%) was for children aged 5-9 years. A case-control study revealed that case-patients were more likely than controls to have swum in a public swimming pool on Saturday afternoon (19/19 vs. 26/38; odds ratio [OR], undefined; lower 95% confidence limit, 1.7). Case-patients were more likely than controls to have swum in the jacuzzi pool (16/19 vs. 10/26; OR, 8.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-47.1) or adult pool A (19/19 vs. 15/26; OR, undefined; lower 95% confidence limit, 2.6). Case-patients were also more likely to have swum for greater than 1 h and to have put their heads under the water. Because of the design of the filtering system of adult pool A, a cross-connection between a sewage line and the pool water intake line was possible. This outbreak may have been caused by transmission of hepatitis A through swimming; thus, swimming may serve as a mode of transmission of hepatitis A virus, especially among small children.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Camping
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Hepatitis A / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis A / etiology
  • Humans
  • Louisiana / epidemiology
  • Sewage
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Swimming Pools*
  • Water Microbiology*
  • Water Supply

Substances

  • Sewage