Investigation of a H Panachkkad PHC area of Kottayam district Kerala by case control design

Abstract Background: Viral Hepatitis (HAV) continues to be a major public health problem in HAV infection. Early investigation of an epidemic of Hepatitis A will go a long way in containing the epidemic and preventing further transmission of the disease. epidemiological features of the Hepatitis A outbreak which occurred in PHC Panackikkad in November to December 2013, to find out the source of infection and suggest measures to control spread of the epidemic. The setting was wards 5,7,18 and 19 of Panachikkad PHC, Kottayam District, Kerala State, India and the study was done using a case control design. Methods For each case at least four to five household or neighbourhood controls were taken after matching for age. A total of 121 individuals were interviewed. All the cases and controls were interviewed at their home using a structured interview schedule which included informati treatment of water before consumption, habit of consuming food from outside home and past history of Hepatitis Statistical Analysis: Data was entered in Microsoft excel an Conclusions: A total of 121 individuals were interviewed as part of the study patients identified in the study was 22. Ten of them had laboratory confirmed Acute Hepa the cases 20 (90.9%) belonged to the 15 major risk factors of the Hepatitis outbreak which were found to be statistically significant were male sex; 4.979(1.572-15.771), Jaundice in the family; OR 7.6 (4.742 consumption; OR 13.32(4.116 water at home for drinking; OR 0.162 (0.05