Surveillance report tracks drinking water-associated hepatitis A outbreaks from 1971 to 2017

This surveillance report from the Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System (WBDOSS) describes drinking water-associated hepatitis A outbreaks reported in the United States over a 46-year period from 1971 to 2017. The report did not specify the total number of outbreaks, the affected population size, or the specific public health interventions implemented in response to these events. No quantitative results, effect sizes, or statistical measures were reported for the outcomes of these outbreaks.

No information was provided regarding the safety or tolerability of any public health measures, nor were adverse events reported. The report did not include a comparator group for analysis. Key limitations of this report include the absence of specific outbreak data, case numbers, intervention details, and any assessment of causality or effectiveness of public health responses.

The practice relevance of this report is limited. It serves as a historical record of a surveillance system's tracking of a specific transmission route for hepatitis A. Without specific data on outbreak frequency, severity, or intervention outcomes, it offers no direct guidance for current clinical practice or public health policy. The report underscores the long-standing recognition of waterborne transmission as a potential public health issue.