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News Topical, Digital Desk : A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has raised serious concerns about the increasing prevalence of hepatitis A in Uttar Pradesh. The Regional Medical Research Center (RMRC), Gorakhpur, played a key role in this comprehensive survey, conducted across 21 states.
The study's findings indicate that Uttar Pradesh's infection rate is much higher than in other states, posing a significant threat to public health. Therefore, the state has been classified as a high-risk zone. 97 percent of samples tested positive, compared to a national infection rate of 90 percent. A total of 14,778 samples were collected from all 21 states, of which 12,236 were positive.
A total of 1,957 samples were collected and tested from nine districts of Uttar Pradesh. Of these, 1,879, or 97 percent, tested positive for hepatitis A. This indicates a widespread spread of the infection in the state. In contrast, the situation was relatively better in other states. Kerala had the lowest rate of positive samples at 44.8 percent, and Bengal at 63.1 percent. The infection rate was higher in other states.
This important study has received international recognition. It was published in the London journal The Lancet Regional Health in December 2025. Based on the report, the ICMR has recommended to the Indian government that hepatitis A vaccine be included in the routine immunization program to prevent future outbreaks of the disease.
Experts consider this a major cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). An RMRC team is conducting a study on NAFLD in the Nagaram area of Lucknow. Another team is investigating hepatitis among the Tharu community in Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, and Maharajganj.
Samples were collected from these districts of the state
. In Uttar Pradesh, samples for hepatitis testing were collected from Balrampur, Gonda, Mau, Unnao, Bareilly, Auraiya, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Saharanpur, and Jyotiba Phule Nagar. The RMRC team conducted the survey in Balrampur, Gonda, and Mau. The team included Dr. Rajnikant, Dr. Gauravraj Dwivedi, Dr. Hiravati, Dr. Neeraj Kumar, Dr. Rajiv Singh, Dr. SP Behera, and Dr. Ashok Kumar Pandey.
Infection status in 21 states:
State Infection Percentage
- Andhra Pradesh – 76.7
- Assam – 88.5
- Bihar - 96.1
- Chhattisgarh – 86.9
- Gujarat – 81
- Haryana – 82.8
- Himachal Pradesh – 70.8
- Jammu and Kashmir – 74.6
- Jharkhand - 95.2
- Karnataka – 83.1
- Kerala – 44.8
- Madhya Pradesh – 90.7
- Maharashtra- 90.4
- Odisha – 87.9
- Punjab – 69.7
- Rajasthan – 86
- Tamil Nadu – 75.1
- Telangana – 74.8
- Uttar Pradesh – 97
- Uttarakhand – 70.6
- Bengal – 63.1
This problem is caused by hepatitis A.
According to experts, hepatitis A is a viral infection that spreads primarily through contaminated water and food. It causes inflammation of the liver and can lead to problems such as jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever. In severe cases, the disease can be fatal, especially in children and those with weakened immune systems.
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