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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