A mini-outbreak of HEV infection in those who enjoyed Yakiniku party: One died of fulminant hepatitis

Abstract

A patient died of fulminant hepatitis E in our hospital. To our surprise, a son of the patient was also infected with HEV. By executing a family study, it was revealed that 7 out of 13 relatives of the patient, all of whom had participated in a Yakiniku party, had infection markers for HEV. Our results corroborate previous report suggesting pig liver to be an important infection source in Hokkaido, Japan.