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Doctors concerned over rise in diseases due to polluted water

JAIPUR: The recent incidents of alleged contamination of water supply lines by the adjacent sewerage lines in Jaipur have focused attention on infectious diseases transmitted through faeco-oral route. Diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis E and gastroenteritis have registered a phenomenal increase in the city.

A leading private hospital here has reported widespread occurrence of infectious diseases because of contamination of water, beverages and edible items.

The hospital laboratory has reported that it received over 4,000 blood samples for testing of typhoid and paratyphoid during March 1, 2007, to February 29, 2008. Of these samples, 2,515 tested positive.

The hospital – equipped with modern diagnostic facilities – stated that during the same period, 67 of the 176 samples received for testing for hepatitis A viral infection was found positive.

Of the 287 samples received for confirmation of hepatitis E viral infection, 88 tested positive.

Hepatitis A and hepatitis E are known to cause epidemic jaundice. The two viruses are transmitted through faeco-oral route, as opposed to hepatitis B and C viruses which are transmitted through blood and sexual contact. These diseases also cause high mortality.

The hospital sources, who did not wish to be identified, said one of the probable sources of faecal contamination was the use of untreated sewage as manure for growing vegetable along the open drains. Improperly sanitised salad vegetables, which are eaten raw, cause these diseases.

Similarly, openly spread out salad in the marriage parties – grossly contaminated by the dust flying due to excessive human movement – is another source of faeco-oral infection responsible for post-marriage season spurt in these diseases, said the doctors at the hospital. Unchecked carriers among cooks may be another source of contamination of edibles.

Since the fee-for-service hospital caters mainly to the health and personal hygiene conscious people, the sources said the occurrence of these diseases was likely to be widely prevalent among the common people who go to other public hospitals in the Capital.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court has recently admitted a public interest writ petition in this regard and asked the Director, Medical and Health Services, to investigate into the alleged break-out of infectious diseases in the city.

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