A prospective epidemiological study to see if mosquito bite could be responsible for spread of hepatitis B virus infection.
India is a intermediate prevalence zone for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Although mode of transmission of HBV is parenteral, a significant number of patients contract HBV without any such history, the so-called "sporadic" cases. It is postulated that mosquitoes or other arthropods like bedbugs may be involved in transmitting hepatitis B virus (HBV). We hypothesized that, should mosquitoes be responsible for the transmission of HBV, then the incidences of malaria and acute hepatitis due to HBV should show a linkage. We have therefore studied the frequencies of malaria and acute hepatitis B prospectively over three years to see any (a) seasonal changes in the frequencies of the two diseases and (b) any correlation between the seasonal frequencies of two diseases. This study was carried out at Gujrat research and Medical Institute, which is a busy general hospital. Frequencies of malaria and acute hepatitis B were monitored monthly, prospectively over a period of three years. Malaria was clearly a seasonal disease but no distinct peak for acute hepatitis B was documented. Correlation or Linkage between the frequencies of malaria and acute hepatitis B could not be documented to suggest that mosquito bite may be responsible for HBV transmission.
Department of Gastroenterology and Pathology Rajasthan Hospital, Ahmedabad 380 004. mkghoda@yahoo.com
Manoj K
MK
Ghoda
Ramesh A
RA
Shah
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D011446:Prospective Studies