Infectious hepatitis in urban India.

Abstract

The paper is about infectious hepatitis in urban India. The discussion is on two case studies: one of Madras, and the other of Madurai: two major cities in the State of Tamilnadu, South India. The Madras study is on the temporal and spatial analysis of the distribution and diffusion of hepatitis during 1971-1978. The Madras study also relates age to incidence, the major conclusion being that children are more susceptible to hepatitis than elders. The diffusion of hepatitis is said to occur in a wave - like form, covering newer areas and intensifying in time in core areas. The Madurai study is about the epidemic of hepatitis during January-October of 1981. Relating incidence with share of slum population, and number of borewells in city localities, the study yields a positive relation between them with a correlation coefficient value of .7424 and .7812, respectively. General lack of environmental quality and use of contaminated water for domestic purposes appear to be causes of high incidence of infectious hepatitis.