Times of India
15 April 2010
Ahmedabad, India

The IDSP report has concluded that the possibility of circulation of a naturally modified hepatitis–B virus mutant (HBV Mutant) which could account for high mortality of the outbreak which killed 93 people in Sabarkantha needs to be probed.

“Preliminary laboratory results indicate presence of both common and mutant viruses. There is also need to find out the role of host factor and other coinfections,” says the report.

The hepatitis–B outbreak had led to horrifying evidences of unsafe injection practices in the affected areas. Tons medical waste which had to be destroyed was found to be illegally collected and recycled to be pumped back into the health industry.

The IDSP reports say that out of the 574 confirmed cases of hepatitis–B in Sabarkantha, history of receiving injections in the last six months was reported in 210 patients. This history was also found in 64 patients who succumbed to the killer virus.

Alarmingly, around 112 confirmed patients had received injections from allopathic physicians with MBBS qualification. Also, 60 of those who died had received shots from allopathic practitioners with MBBS qualification.