Incessant rains increase chances of water-borne Hepatitis A&E cases

With the incessant rains continuing for about a week in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the risk of Hepatitis A and E, caused by contaminated food and water, has increased.

By Sulogna Mehta  Published on  28 July 2023 4:15 AM GMT
Incessant rains increase chances of water-borne Hepatitis A&E cases.

Representational Image. 

Hyderabad: On the eve of World Hepatitis Day on July 28, it is surprising to learn that despite being a preventable and treatable disease, Hepatitis continues to kill lakhs of people globally as well as in India. The prevalence of Hepatitis in India is around 5-7 per cent.

Hepatitis is a group of viral infections, whose strains primarily affect the liver, causing inflammation and potential long-term health complications.

Burden and prevalence of Hepatitis

According to World Health Organisationā€™s (WHO) data, around 354 million globally live with Hepatitis B or C. Among the five common strains of Hepatitis virus (A, B, C, D, and E), Hepatitis C is considered the most dangerous. Chronic Hepatitis C has affected around 58 million people globally and lakhs die from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer every year.

In India, around 40 million people are chronically affected by Hepatitis B, and 6 to 12 million people by Hepatitis C. Hepatitis D is a dormant virus and uses the genome of Hepatitis B to grow. It affects those who are already infected by Hepatitis B. However, there is a lack of adequate knowledge and awareness about the different strains and their available treatment options.

Millions of Indians affected

The hepatitis virus can be transmitted through various means, such as contaminated food and water (Hepatitis A and E) or through infected blood, unsafe injections, and unprotected sex (Hepatitis B and C).

In India, hepatitis is a significant public health concern, with millions of people affected by various types of viral hepatitis. The most common types of hepatitis in India are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Heavy rains escalate the risk of Hepatitis A, E

With the incessant rains continuing for about a week in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the risk of Hepatitis A and E, caused by contaminated food and water, has increased. In India, where hygiene is a major issue, there is no doubt that under the present weather conditions, threats from such ailments loom large as there are high chances of drinking water sources getting contaminated with sewage and rainwater. Hepatitis A and E viruses are transmitted through contaminated water.

Hepatitis A is not chronic but an acute viral infection and is self-limiting and requires supportive therapies. The incubation period is usually a fortnight, after which the symptoms become visible. Symptoms include weakness, fatigue, fever, weight loss, nausea, diarrhoea, yellowish skin and eyes etc. Hepatitis A vaccines are given from age six months to 18 years and to vulnerable people at more risk of getting infected.

ā€œStudents and working professionals, residing in hostels and forced to eat food from outside, are more at risk of contracting Hepatitis A or jaundice. Hepatitis E is mainly found to affect pregnant women, even causing acute liver failure in some,ā€ says general physician Dr P Saketha Reddy. ā€œIt is better to avoid outside food, especially street food and seafood now and one should also avoid drinking water from outside unless it is packaged or filtered. Those staying in hostels should drink either mineral water or boiled water if they have provisions to boil.ā€

Pani puris are not culprits, blame water and lack of hand hygiene

It is not the pani puris themselves which cause diseases. In fact, as per health experts, pani puris and chaats are better than packaged, processed high-calorie fast foods and bakery items. The problem lies with the manner of preparing the food and the water that is used.

ā€œStreet foods are mostly not prepared in a hygienic way. The vendors usually do not wear gloves and donā€™t maintain hand hygiene. These viruses get transmitted through the faecal-oral route if the hands are not washed properly and if the viruses are present in the water used for preparing the food. One can have chaats and pani puris from reliable eateries, where the source of water is clean. Also, people should use boiled or mineral water for cooking and washing fruits and vegetables to avoid contamination,ā€ says Dr Saketha.

Preventive measures for Hepatitis B and C

ā€œPreventive measures like mass vaccination for Hepatitis B, education and awareness about the root causes of liver diseases including Hepatitis B and C, lifestyle modification, and minimising alcohol consumption are some of the measures needed expressly to reduce the burden of hepatitis and prevent deaths. Coffee has lately been proven to be ā€˜medicinalā€™ and beneficial due to its antioxidant effects in patients with fatty liver disease. Should one unfortunately develop liver disease despite the above measures, there are advances in medical and surgical management of liver diseases including newer drugs and advancements in surgical techniques,ā€ says Dr Sharat Reddy Putta, chief liver transplant physician, Kims Hospital, Secunderabad.

Timely screening and diagnosis are important

The viral infection affects the liver. Hence accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of further complications. ā€œWhen it comes to facilitating prompt medical intervention and improved patient outcomes, accurate and timely screening and diagnosis is important. It includes a range of tests, including blood tests to detect viral markers and liver function tests (LFTs) to assess the extent of liver damage. Apart from that, there are imaging techniques, liver biopsy, and point-of-care testing,ā€ says Dr Sunita Kapoor, director and consultant pathologist at City X-ray and Scan Clinic, Delhi.

Key areas of focus

To tackle hepatitis, Dr Chalapathi Rao Achanta, clinical director and chief of the Gastroenterology Department at Kims Icon Institute of Gastroenterology, Vizag, lists the key areas of focus, which include:

Vaccination: Raising awareness about the availability and importance of hepatitis vaccines, especially for Hepatitis A and B, can prevent new infections.

Prevention: Educating people about practices, such as practising safe sex, using clean needles, and ensuring access to clean water and sanitation facilities, can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

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