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Hepatitis E cases on the rise in India

Hepatitis E cases on the rise in India
Source: The Times of India, Rajkot
WHO 
 
The number of patients suffering from hepatitis E and jaundice in the Mehsana town situated in Gujarat State, India has been on the increase since September this year.

Kasba, Hydri Chowk, Babi Vado, Faiza No Vado and Siddhapuri Bazaar localities in old Mehsana town have recorded over 400 cases. However, the Health Department has put the number to 68.

A resident of Babi Vado, Sarfaraz Fakirbhai Motisara said there are as many as 400 people affected by stomach ailments and seven are from his family alone.

Thirty-year-old Mezbin Baby, a patient, said, "Water supply pipelines were damaged in September when telephone cables were being replaced in our locality. This led to contamination of drinking water. The civic body was alerted, but it paid no heed to our complaints.
Motisara said, "We gheraoed the municipal office on Wednesday, thus forcing it to act on the matter."

Municipal Chief Officer R P Joshi said, "We have begun replacing the pipes from Thursday though we have not found leakage anywhere. Water in the affected area is being supplied through tankers."



Source: The Times of India. Rajkot

Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is caused by a variety of different viruses such as hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.

Hepatitis E was first documented in 1955 during an outbreak in New Delhi, India. Hepatitis E is a waterborne disease (transmitted via the faecal – oral route) and has been implicated in major outbreaks as a result of the consumption of faecal contaminated drinking water. Ingestion of raw or uncooked shellfish has also been the source of sporadic cases in endemic areas. There is the possibility of zoonotic spread of the virus, since several non-human primates, pigs, cows, sheep, goats and rodents are susceptible to the infection.

There is currently no evidence of transmission sexually or by transfusion.

The incidence of hepatitis E (symptomatic infection) is highest in juveniles and adults between the ages of 15 and 40. Although children often contract this infection, they do not become symptomatic frequently. Hepatitis E is however a “self-limiting” disease, in that it usually goes away by itself and the patient recovers as a result mortality rate are usually low. However, during the duration of the infection (usually several weeks), the disease severely impairs a person’s ability to work, care for family members, and obtain food. A more fulminate form of hepatitis occasionally develops, with overall patient population mortality rates ranging between 0.5% - 4.0%. Fulminate hepatitis occurs more often in pregnancy, with a mortality rate of 20% among women in the third trimester.

As there are no specific antiviral drugs against hepatitis E, prevention of this disease remains the most important weapon of their control such as:
  • Proper treatment and disposal of human waste
  • Higher standard for public water supplies
  • Improved personal hygiene and sanitary food preparation
For travelers to highly endemic areas, the usual elementary food hygiene precautions are recommended. These include avoiding drinking water and/or ice of unknown purity and eating uncooked shellfish, uncooked fruits or vegetables that are not peeled or prepared by the traveler.



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