A study on the prevalence and seasonal variation of Hepatitis A in patients attending JNIMS hospital

Dr. Dayananda Ingudam; Dr. Chitra Yengkokpam

Volume : IX, Issue : XII, December - 2019

A study on the prevalence and seasonal variation of Hepatitis A in patients attending JNIMS hospital

Dr. Dayananda Ingudam, Dr. Chitra Yengkokpam

Abstract :

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis. It causes severe, often fatal disease in adults especially in those with underlying liver dysfunction but is mostly asymptomatic in children. The present study was conducted with the aimed to find the prevalence and seasonal variation of HAV infection in patients attending JNIMS hospital. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional hospital based study was conducted in the department of Microbiology, JNIMS, Imphal, Manipur. Rapid immunochromatographic assay was performed for the detection of IgM antibody to HAV in human serum. RESULTS: Out of the 84 serum samples 20(23.80%) was found to be positive for hepatitis IgM, of which 11 (55%) were found in males and 9(45%) were found in females. A seasonal increase in incidence of HAV infection was found during the rainy season of January – March (50%) and April – June (35%). CONCLUSION: The global seroepidemiology of hepatitis A is changing in many developing nations giving rise to unique non immune adolescent and adult populations emerging in endemic regions thereby conferring a risk of developing severe hepatitis A. Hence, finding the prevalence, seasonal variation and timely detection of HAV infection will help in minimising the development of further complication