5 primitive tribes bear the burden of hepatitis: Study

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5 primitive tribes bear the burden of hepatitis: StudyFriday December 14 2007 09:20 IST

Siba Mohanty

BHUBANESWAR: A latest study reveals that five of Orissa’s primitive tribes are bearing the burden of Hepatitis B and C, quite contrary to the belief that the disease is urban centric.Though the State is considered low-prevalent so far as viral hepatitis goes, five of its tribes Lodha, Khadia, Saora, ga and Mankidia have reported a very high prevalence rate.The percentage of population above 60 years stands at a meagre 4.9, 5.6, 8 and 8.5 among ga, Mankidia, Lodha and Saora tribes respectively but no one knows if the hepatitis burden has a role to play.The study, being carried out by Regional Medical Research Laboratory (RMRC), Bhubaneswar has unveiled the disturbing fact.Prevalence rate of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) among Mankidia tribe was found to be as high as 34 percent while in ga, it was 26 percent. In case of Lodha, Saora and Khadia tribes, the HBV rate was in the range of eight to percent.The national prevalence of HBV is in the range of three percent to six percent, while the rate in Orissa is barely two percent.The rate of Heptitis C infection was much less as compared to HBV among the five tribes. For Saora, Lodha and Khadia tribes, the prevalence rate ranged upto 3.9 percent but both Mankidia and ga tribes showed a high rate of infection at nine and 11 percent respectively.As part of its “Epidemiology of viral hepatitis in primitive population of Orissa”, the study is underway in Mayurbhanj district where all five tribes inhabit.A total of 2,500 individuals from these primitive tribes were enrolled into the study.Though information on prevalence of the HBV/HCV infection among the tribals is limited, research has established high incidence among primitive tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands where infection rate ranges from 20 percent to 60 percent.Among Bagla tribe of Madhya Pradesh, it is about 44 percent.Dr Shantanu Kumar Kar, Director of RMRC here says: “Each tribe follows its socio-cultural beliefs, practices as well as living patterns which influence transmission of the infection. Risk factors, specific routes of transmission for the viruses in these tribes is under study which will give clues towards arresting spread of the viral disease.”That is the reason behaviours such as tattooing, use of community barber as well as sexual practices are being investigated, he said.Kar believes that the study which will be wound up soon will throw light on low life expectancy of these tribes.

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