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Fatal outbreaks of jaundice in pregnancy and the epidemic history of hepatitis E.
- Source :
-
Epidemiology and infection [Epidemiol Infect] 2012 May; Vol. 140 (5), pp. 767-87. Date of Electronic Publication: 2012 Jan 25. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Space-time clustering of people who fall acutely ill with jaundice, then slip into coma and death, is an alarming phenomenon, more markedly so when the victims are mostly or exclusively pregnant. Documentation of the peculiar, fatal predisposition of pregnant women during outbreaks of jaundice identifies hepatitis E and enables construction of its epidemic history. Between the last decade of the 18th century and the early decades of the 20th century, hepatitis E-like outbreaks were reported mainly from Western Europe and several of its colonies. During the latter half of the 20th century, reports of these epidemics, including those that became serologically confirmed as hepatitis E, emanated from, first, the eastern and southern Mediterranean littoral and, thereafter, Southern and Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the rest of Africa. The dispersal has been accompanied by a trend towards more frequent and larger-scale occurrences. Epidemic and endemic hepatitis E still beset people inhabiting Asia and Africa, especially pregnant women and their fetuses and infants. Their relief necessitates not only accelerated access to potable water and sanitation but also vaccination against hepatitis E.
- Subjects :
- Africa epidemiology
Asia epidemiology
Europe epidemiology
Female
Global Health
Hepatitis E mortality
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
History, 21st Century
Humans
Jaundice mortality
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious mortality
Disease Outbreaks
Hepatitis E epidemiology
Hepatitis E history
Jaundice epidemiology
Jaundice history
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious epidemiology
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious history
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1469-4409
- Volume :
- 140
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Epidemiology and infection
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22273541
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268811002925