Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development
  • Year: 2014
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 2

Clinico-Epidemiological Investigation of an Epidemic Dropsy Outbreak in a Village of Haryana, India

  • Author:
  • Ramesh Verma1,, Sandeep Sachdeva2, Sudhir3, Jagjit Singh4, Kapil Bhalla4, Alok Khanna4, Vijaylakshmi Sood5
  • Total Page Count: 6
  • Page Number: 72 to 77

1Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak

2Senior Resident, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak

3Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak

4Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak

5Consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Civil Hospital, Rohtak

*Corresponding author: Ramesh Verma, 239, Subhash Nagar, Rohtak-124001 (Haryana). Ph.: 01262-210057 (R), Mobile: 0-94163-81012. E-mail: dr.rameshverma@yahoo.co.in

Online published on 9 May, 2014.

Abstract

Food-borne illness is a common phenomenon in developing nations frequently leading to increased morbidity and mortality among the affected community. Outbreaks due to food contamination occur either due to natural events or to deliberate adulteration of food. Epidemic dropsy is characterized by bilateral swelling of legs, often associated with diarrhoea. In severe cases, fatalities are due to congestive heart failure. The study was designed to find the clinico- epidemiology profile of patients and to identify the etiological agent for this epidemic.

This is a cross-sectional, community-based study, undertaken on 46 rural patients aged 4–65 years.

Forty-six cases of epidemic dropsy were detected from an epidemic in a village in Haryana, of all affected patients 19 (41.3%) were males and 27(58.69%) were females. The age group of the affected individuals varied from 4 years to 65 years. The clinical manifestations and epidemiological factors were studied. GIT symptoms were present in 86.3% of the cases. Sanguinarine was detected in all mustard oil samples collected from the homes of affected families.

Adulteration of mustard oil with argemone oil, either deliberate or accidental is the main cause of the disease.

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