Mumbai: February 25, 2009 - The 43 deaths in Modasa town of Gujarat's Sabarkantha district over the last fortnight due to hepatitis B underlines how widespread this viral infection really is.

"It is one of the biggest public health challenges,'' said gastroenterologist Dr D N Amarapurkar of Bombay Hospital.

Statistics bear this out: around 45 million Indians carry the deadly virus that can lead to liver failure and even cancer. "Around 30% of this patient pool would be seriously affected while the rest would carry on as though they are not affected,'' he added.

"Mumbai is not a high-incidence zone, yet two out of 100 Mumbaikars carries the virus,'' said Dr Samir Shah, gastroenterologist from Jaslok Hospital.

HIGHLY INFECTIOUS

Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver, causing jaundice. It is transmitted through blood, body fluids and use of infected syringes among drug-abusers. "The virus can be transmitted even from a razor in a barber shop that has a drop of blood from an infected person. Infected children hurt while playing in the grounds can spread the virus,'' said Dr Amarapurkar.

In Modasa, the Union health ministry believes that reusing of syringes and needles led to the outbreak.

MUMBAI'S BURDEN

While the transmission rate in cities such as Mumbai is not high as in rural areas, the threat is still high. Dr Samir Shah's project ACHIEVE (Awareness & Early Detection in Blood Donors by Counseling For Hepatitis B & C Prevention and Treatment), found that between 1.5% and 2% of people who turn up to donate blood in Mumbai tested positive for the hepatitis B virus. In public health studies, this translates into 1.5%-2% of the general population having the virus.

* Weakness
* Lethargy
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Abdominal pain
* Yellow coloured urine
* Loss of appetite
* Joint pains
* Itching