Nouvelle épidémie d'hépatite a à ambert (63): illustration de la réceptivité croissante des adultes jeunes au virus de l'hépatite a en France

Summary 16 years after a previous hepatitis A outbreak involving schoolchildren, another community-wide outbreak occurred in Ambert, France, in 1994. After investigation involving all the general practitioners of the district, 18 cases were identified: 10 males, 8 females, mean age: 26.1 years, range: 5–48 years. 12 (66.6%) patients were young adults over 15 years of age. All patients were symptomatic during a mean period of 15.5 days and recovered. A 43 year old patient was hospitalized. 10 patients (55.5%) were on leave of absence, for a mean period of 15.5 days (range: 10–90 days). This outbreak highlights the increasing susceptibility of young adults to the hepatitis A virus, and the older age at which patients are infected in France.