U.S. Travelers Clueless About Hepatitis Risk

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U.S. Travelers Clueless About Hepatitis Risk

Survey reveals widespread misconceptions about disease

By Jeff Kelliher

HealthScout Reporter

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FRIDAY, April 20 (HealthScout) -- With more Americans traveling to exotic

locales, a new survey shows few seem to understand the risks for serious

liver diseases that await them.

More than 6,000 U.S. travelers were questioned recently by Hepatitis

Foundation International, and the answers showed many Americans are clueless

about the risks of getting hepatitis A or B in overseas lands. Worse yet,

many may be needlessly exposing themselves to these serious liver

infections.

Nearly 75 percent of survey participants had not sought pre-travel

counseling from a health-care provider. In addition, almost 70 percent

wrongly believed that hepatitis A is spread through contact with blood or

other body fluids.

In truth, hepatitis A is acquired by eating contaminated food, or drinking

or swimming in contaminated water. Hepatitis B, on the other hand, can be

transmitted through sex as well as through accidental cuts, abrasions or

contact with contaminated medical equipment.

" Most American travelers, at least, have very little appreciation of health

risks overseas, " says travel medicine expert Dr. Brad Connor. " So the facts

of the survey really underscore the need for more education in this area. "

Connor says hepatitis A can cause fever, nausea, fatigue, jaundice and

stomach pain, and can be severe enough to land you in the hospital.

Hepatitis B can cause acute illness plus chronic liver disease, liver cancer

and cirrhosis. More than 5,000 Americans die from hepatitis B each year.

" For travel outside North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand

and Japan, the risk of hepatitis A is there, " says Connor. " But it's the

most common vaccine-preventable, travel-related infection. "

Connor says carriers of hepatitis B often don't know they're infected, and

can pass the disease to unwitting travelers through sexual contact.

" There are 350 million chronic carriers of hepatitis B in the world, and the

highest prevalence areas are places like Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

and Latin America, " explains Connor. " So if we have a traveler going to [one

of these areas], the hepatitis B vaccine is something we consider very

strongly. "

Dr. Juckett, a travel medicine expert, is not surprised by the

study's results.

" Hepatitis A vaccination is probably the most important vaccination

travelers need in order to go abroad, " says Juckett, who is coordinator of

West Virginia University's International Travel Clinic. " This doesn't have

to be exotic travel to Africa, either. Just a trip to the Caribbean or to

Cancun on spring break can result in hepatitis A if you're not careful. "

Juckett says vaccines are important because even travelers who are cautious

about where they swim and what they eat and drink can be at risk.

" It's easy to go in and swim in what appears to be very clear ocean waters

not realizing that raw sewage is being pumped in up the coast a bit, " says

Juckett. " And even in fancy resort hotels you have to remember that the

kitchen help may come from a rural village that doesn't use toilet paper. "

Juckett's observation supports the survey's results, which found almost 30

percent of those surveyed didn't believe they could contract hepatitis A

from eating at a fancy restaurant.

" Even when you do exercise due care, I think the vaccine is a good idea, "

says Juckett. " That's because you can never be 100 percent sure. "

What To Do

Experts advise travelers heading abroad to consult with a health-care

provider as part of their vacation preparations.

" Both A and B are very effectively prevented by immunization, " says Connor.

" These disease can't be treated, so really the responsibility lies in

prevention. "

For the best protection, ask your doctor for a hepatitis A vaccination at

least a month before traveling. But for procrastinators, Juckett says two

weeks will work.

Hepatitis B vaccines involve a series of three shots, and should be

coordinated with your doctor before visiting high-risk areas, says Juckett.