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Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology
Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Association of Medical Microbiology
ISSN: 0255-0857 EISSN: 0255-0857
Vol. 25, No. 4, 2007, pp. 378-382
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Bioline Code: mb07103
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol. 25, No. 4, 2007, pp. 378-382
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Outbreak of acute viral hepatitis due to hepatitis E virus in Hyderabad
Sarguna, P.; Rao, A. & Sudha Ramana, K. N.
Abstract
Purpose: A waterborne outbreak of viral hepatitis occurred in the old city of Hyderabad from March through August 2005. An attempt was made to study the outbreak clinically, serologically, and etiologically. Methods: Five hundred and forty-six clinically and biochemically documented cases were screened for the hepatotropic viral markers, hepatitis A, B, C, and E by the ELISA method. Their demographic characteristics and outcomes were analyzed. Point source contamination of the water supply with sewerage was identified. Result: Our data confirms hepatitis E as the major cause of the outbreak (78.57%). Occasionally, mixed infection of HEV-HAV (5.31%) or HEV-HBV (0.91%) was detected in the present series of acute viral hepatitis. Conclusions: HEV was confirmed as the major etiological agent in this outbreak that was transmitted by contaminated drinking water. The study highlights the importance of screening for both enterically transmitted hepatotropic viral markers as well as the parenterally transmitted hepatotropic viral markers during outbreaks of acute viral hepatitis.
Keywords
Acute viral hepatitis, epidemic, Hepatitis E virus, mixed infection
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© Copyright 2007 Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. Alternative site location: http://www.ijmm.org
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