If you're heading off on holiday to Europe this summer, there's something you need to know. An infectious disease dubbed the 'faeces disease' is on the rise, with hundreds of people in one popular tourist destination becoming ill.
The infection, which can be fatal, is transmitted via the faecal-oral route - meaning it's spread when people consume food or water tainted with the faeces of someone infected.
Hepatitis A causes symptoms like jaundice, dark urine, severe itching, and even liver damage, and the Czech Republic's capital Prague has seen dozens of people struck down with the illness.
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The Czech Health Ministry has issued a warning stating: "The disease, also known as infectious jaundice, is spreading not only among children but also among adolescents and young adults, and among drug addicts and homeless people."
As of May 5, there have been 450 confirmed cases of hepatitis A and six deaths in the Czech Republic, and the regions hit hardest are Central Bohemia, Moravia-Silesia, and Prague, with 87, 83, and 73 cases reported respectively. To put it into perspective, there were only 636 cases and two deaths recorded throughout 2024.
According to the Mirror, Dr Macková, the country's chief hygienist and head of the national public health institute, said: "When we compare the figures for the whole of last year and just four months of this year, it is clear that we are seeing a sharp increase in cases. Hepatitis A affects regions across the country.
"The transmission of the infection occurs mainly as a result of poor hygiene conditions. Due to the long incubation period, often asymptomatic course, and increasing non-compliance with basic hygiene habits, the infection has very good conditions for spreading. In the current situation, we recommend getting vaccinated before the start of holidays and vacations."
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If you're planning a trip to the beautiful city of Prague, or elsewhere in the Czech Republic, there are things you can do to protect yourself from hepatitis A. Dr Kateřina Fabiánová, an infectious disease specialist at the Czech public health authority, advised: "It is recommended to avoid consuming raw salads and vegetables, fruit that you cannot peel yourself, ice cream, raw or semi-raw seafood, and oysters are especially dangerous. In general, it is good to avoid undercooked foods and not use ice in drinks."
In children, the disease typically shows no symptoms, while adults may experience a delay before symptoms manifest. This increases the risk of unknowingly transmitting the virus to others.
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Fabiánová noted: "The time from infection to the development of symptoms of the disease is 14-50 days, most often 30 days."
Those most at risk include regular travellers, people lodging with locals, men who have sex with men, and those with pre-existing health conditions like liver disease. It's not common to get a hepatitis A vaccine, due to minimal domestic risk, but it's advised when travelling to areas where the virus is more prevalent such as some regions in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
Severe illness from hepatitis A is uncommon in the UK, and the virus was responsible for 42 deaths between 2005 and 2021.
Topics: Health
Rachael Davis