Epidemiological Characteristics and Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Hepatitis A in Spain in the Context of the 2016/2017 European Outbreak

María Guerrero-Vadillo (), Marina Peñuelas, Ángela Domínguez, Pere Godoy, Diana Gómez-Barroso, Nuria Soldevila, Conchita Izquierdo, Ana Martínez, Nuria Torner, Ana Avellón, Cristina Rius and Carmen Varela
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María Guerrero-Vadillo: Doctorate Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, National University of Distance Education (UNED), 28015 Madrid, Spain
Marina Peñuelas: National Centre for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Ángela Domínguez: Departament de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Pere Godoy: Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Diana Gómez-Barroso: National Centre for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Nuria Soldevila: Departament de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Conchita Izquierdo: Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
Ana Martínez: Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Nuria Torner: Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Ana Avellón: Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Cristina Rius: Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Carmen Varela: National Centre for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of our study was to describe the results of the epidemiological surveillance of hepatitis A infections in Spain in the context of the 2016/2017 European outbreak, particularly of hepatitis A outbreaks reported in the MSM population, incorporating the results of a spatio-temporal analysis of cases. Hepatitis A cases and outbreaks reported in 2016–2017 to the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network were reviewed: outbreaks in which some of the cases belonged to the MSM group were described, and clusters of hepatitis A cases in men and women were analysed using a space–time scan statistic. Twenty-six outbreaks were identified, with a median size of two cases per outbreak, with most of the outbreak-related cases belonging to the 15–44 years-old group. Nearly 85% occurred in a household setting, and in all outbreaks, the mode of transmission was direct person-to-person contact. Regarding space–time analysis, twenty statistically significant clusters were identified in the male population and eight in the female population; clusters in men presented a higher number of observed cases and affected municipalities, as well as a higher percentage of municipalities classified as large urban areas. The elevated number of cases detected in clusters of men indicates that the number of MSM-related outbreaks may be higher than reported, showing that spatio-temporal analysis is a complementary, useful tool which may improve the detection of outbreaks in settings where epidemiological investigation may be more challenging.

Keywords: hepatitis A virus; epidemiological surveillance; MSM; outbreaks; space-time clustering; urban population (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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