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Archive Number 20100226.0641
Published Date 26-FEB-2010
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Hepatitis E virus - Uganda: (MT)
HEPATITIS E VIRUS - UGANDA: (MOROTO)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu 25 Feb 2010
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda) [edited]
<http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Health%20&%20Living/-/689846/868202/-/3e02m1z/-/index.html>
Hepatitis E spreading fast
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At least 28 people have been admitted to Moroto Government Hospital
following an outbreak of hepatitis E, a contagious viral disease. The
district health inspector, Mr Martin Eyura, said investigations carried out
by the district health workers in Moroto Municipality confirmed that the
disease has broke out in the 4 suburbs of Police Barracks, Singila,
Nakapelimon, Junior Quarters, and in Matany Trading Centre outside the
municipality a month ago before spreading to other areas.
"We heard it had broken out in Kaabong District [Moroto District lies to
the south east of Kaabong District. - Mod.CP] but you know people here are
careless. They defecate anywhere, leaving the human waste to become a
breeding place for the disease."
There are 9 cases from Singila, 7 from Nakapelimon, 5 from Junior Quarters,
and another 7 from Matany Trading Centre admitted at Moroto Government
Hospital and the disease seems to be spreading fast," the district health
inspector, Martin Eyura, said. Reports at the hospital confirm that 28
people who have been admitted to the health unit, have been tested and
discovered to have hepatitis E.
The nurses at the hospital, who preferred anonymity, said that 8 cases had
first been registered but the numbers have since increased to 28. District
leaders and health workers in Kaabong managed to fight diseases with good
hygiene and sanitation unlike in Moroto where people are not using
pit-latrines, including market vendors who use a seasonal river, Nangololo
in Moroto Municipality to ease themselves. Mr Eyura also attributed the
surge in hepatitis E cases to poor sanitation. "The district health team is
moving door to door, surveilling and sensitising locals about the disease
to help bring down the number of victims.
"Hepatitis E is a viral disease that affects the liver and if it is not
treated well, it kills very fast," he said, adding that most patients are
complaining of headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite,
abdominal pain, diarrhoea, jaundice, heartburn, dark urine, and pain, which
are all symptoms of the disease. Hepatitis E is a limiting disease that may
occur after natural disasters because of consumption of faecally
contaminated water or food. It is caused by infection with the hepatitis E
virus, a non-enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Although
man is considered the natural host for hepatitis E virus, antibodies to
hepatitis E virus or closely related viruses have been detected in primates
and several other animal species. Drinking faecally contaminated water has
given rise to epidemics, and consumption of raw or half-cooked shellfish
has been the source of sporadic cases in endemic areas.
Mr Eyuru maintains that people most at risk of the disease are 15-40 year
olds, including pregnant women and people living with HIV/AIDS. He adds
that the disease can be prevented if everyone disposes of their waste
properly, and appeals to local district leaders to play their role in
helping the health teams ensure that people are sensitised about the
disease to avoid further spread.
The deputy resident district commissioner, Mr Bob Opio, also urged the
residents to make use of pit latrines and observe hygiene and sanitation to
save their lives. "The government is committed to making sure that people
are protected from diseases. but we must also do our part."
[byline: David Mafabi]
--
communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Moroto District is a district in north eastern Uganda. Like other Ugandan
districts, it is named after its "chief town", Moroto, where the district
headquarters are located. A map of Uganda showing the location of Moroto
District can be accessed at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroto_District>
The HeathMap/ProMED-mail interactive map if the country is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/017y>.
Hepatitis E virus is transmitted via the faecal-oral route. Hepatitis E is
a waterborne disease, and contaminated water or food supplies have been
implicated in major outbreaks. Consumption of faecally contaminated
drinking water has given rise to epidemics, and the ingestion of raw or
uncooked shellfish has been another source of sporadic cases in endemic
areas. There is a possibility of zoonotic spread of the virus, since
several non-human primates, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, and rodents are
susceptible to infection.
The risk factors for hepatitis E virus infection are related to poor
sanitation in large areas of the world. In Uganda past outbreaks have often
occurred in camps for IDPs (internally displaced persons) or refugees from
elsewhere. Person-to-person transmission is uncommon. There is no evidence
for sexual transmission.
In general, hepatitis E is a self-limiting viral infection followed by
recovery. Prolonged viraemia or faecal shedding are unusual and chronic
infection does not occur. At present, no commercially available vaccines
are available for the prevention of hepatitis E. - Mod.CP]