An investigation into the possible links between shigellosis and hepatitis A and public water supply disconnections

A retrospective study was conducted to determine if water supply disconnection could be implicated as a causative factor in the incidence of laboratory confirmed cases of shigellosis and hepatitis A in the Hull area. Data on all disconnections and cases of shigellosis and hepatitis A, between April 1988 and March 1993, were obtained. he period of the study, 908 disconnections took place, there were 1591 cases of shigellosis and 1034 cases of hepatitis A. Whilst there was a statistical correlation between rates of both disease outcomes and rates of disconnection in the 20 Hull postcode areas, a detailed examination of the two data sets failed to identify a causative relationship between disconnection and either illness in any household. A correlation analysis examining for statistical association between sociodemographic factors and illness indicated the importance of the general living standards and the elevated susceptibility of the poor and economically disadvantaged to these two diseases.