Times of India
15 April 2010
By Radha Sharma
Ahmedabad, India

Man–made disaster sparked by blatant reuse of contaminated injections, syringes and needles was the prime reason for the high incidence of viral hepatitis–B recorded in 2009 which grew to 19 per 1 lakh population in the state from 17 per lakh population in 2008. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) report for year 2009 released recently records that the number of viral hepatitis–B cases in the state grew from 10,051 in 2008 to 11,099 in 2009.

The outbreak of hepatitis–B in Sabarkantha affected more than 500 people and claimed the lives of 93 persons. Maximum cases were reported in VS Hospital in Ahmedabad where 2,648 persons were admitted while 1,027 were admitted in Civil Hospital here.

Districts like Gandhinagar, Narmada, Sabarkantha, Dangs and Valsad noted higher incidence compared to the state. Maximum increase in the incidence was reported in Anand where 32 cases were reported in 2009 while just one case was reported a year earlier.

The first suspect case of hepatitis–B was admitted on January 26 in Modasa and the outbreak was confirmed in February 2009. During surveillance, persons having history of having taken an injection within last six months, surgical procedures, tattooing and coming in contact with a positive case were identified as high risk groups.