9 in 10 young Indians exposed to hepatitis A, yet South India breaks the pattern

Sumit Jha

Mar 08, 2025

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A national study has revealed striking differences in hepatitis A exposure across Southern states, with Kerala standing out as having dramatically lower infection rates compared to its neighbours.

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The comprehensive study found that the national average shows 90 percent of young Indians have been exposed to hepatitis A virus (HAV).

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South Indian states present a complex picture that mirrors the country’s broader epidemiological transition.

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Kerala, often hailed as India’s most developed state in terms of human development indicators, recorded the lowest hepatitis A seroprevalence nationally at just 44.8 percent.

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This finding places the state in the “low endemicity” category, a classification shared only with West Bengal among the 21 states studied.

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Other South Indian states – Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana – all fall into the “intermediate endemicity” category, though with varying prevalence rates.