Sweltering summer leads to spike in hepatitis, gastro cases

Mumbai: Cases of hepatitis and gastroenteritis are on the rise in Mumbai amidst a spike in temperatures and humidity levels on account of the ongoing summer season. Most of the patients are young adults who spend their day outdoors, with consumption of contaminated water being the main reason behind the spurt in cases, said doctors.

According to data with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) health department, 66 hepatitis cases were reported from civic hospitals in April, compared to 35 in January, 34 in February and 53 in March. As regards gastroenteritis, 536 cases were reported in January, 612 in February, 637 in March and 916 in April. Doctors at private hospitals and clinics also reported a spike increase in hepatitis and gastroenteritis cases.

“The main reason behind the occurrence of Hepatitis A and E is the consumption of contaminated water,” said a doctor at a BMC hospital. People consume various cold beverages during the summer, including lemonade and sugarcane juice, which are often mixed with ice, he noted. “If cleanliness is not maintained, the ice becomes contaminated with E Coli bacteria, which increases the risk of hepatitis,” said the doctor.

Dr Shubham Jain, assistant professor in the gastroenterology department at BYL Nair Hospital, said the outpatient department was seeing around 5-6 cases of hepatitis every week. “There is a risk of liver failure in 1-2% patients who have hepatitis. So, it is important to drink clean water, avoid outside food, and refrain from consuming beverages with ice,” he said.

Dr Harshad Joshi, principal consultant, Nanavati Max Institute of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Therapeutic Endoscopy, said they were seeing at least 3-4 cases of viral hepatitis every week. “We have observed a significant increase in cases of viral hepatitis, which causes inflammation of the liver, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, and fever. This trend is seasonal, often associated with rising humidity and heat, which leads to increased consumption of outside food and drinks, increasing the risk of infection,” he said.

A majority of the patients are young adults, including college students and working professionals, who spend a lot of time outdoors, said Dr Joshi. “Most cases require only symptomatic treatment, including intravenous fluids, antiemetics, and adequate rest, with patients recovering typically within two weeks,” he said.