Hepatitis E main cause of jaundice at DU
Staff Correspondent
Institute of Entomology, Diseases Control and Research (IEDCR) identified hepatitis E virus as the main cause of jaundice at Dhaka University (DU) that affected around five hundred students.Conducting ELISA test on 90 students and staff of Zia, Bangabandhu and Jashim Uddin halls under DU, IEDCR identified hepatitis E virus in 24 cases, A virus in two cases and both the viruses in one case. IEDCR experts observe that the viruses spread through polluted water supplied to the three halls. It has been found that there was leakage in Zia hall water supply pipes laid close to the sewerage line. Besides, the dining system of the halls is quite unhygienic, which can cause the viral attack. IEDCR experts suspect before the month of Ramadan a number of staff contracted jaundice which later infected others. The experts suggested chlorinating water and ensuring hygienic food supply to prevent infection with hepatitis viruses.
| 
