Hepatitis A and B are two serious liver diseases caused by the hepatitis A and B viruses.
Both viruses are endemic (constantly present) in much of the developing world. Many popular travel destinations such as the Caribbean are considered risk areas for unprotected travellers. In fact, you can contract hepatitis A or B even if you stay at a 5-star resort.
You can contract the hepatitis A virus by eating food or drinking beverages that have been contaminated by human fecal waste.
Resort activities that may put you at risk for hepatitis A include:
Eating food handled by an infected worker who did not wash his/her hands properly after using the washroom
Eating raw or undercooked seafood and shellfish that lived in sewage-polluted water
Eating salads or produce rinsed in contaminated water
Drinking contaminated water or drinks with contaminated ice
Bathing, showering, or swimming in contaminated water
You can contract hepatitis B by coming into contact with the bodily fluids (such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or saliva) of an infected person.
Resort activities that may put you at risk for hepatitis B include:
Getting a manicure, pedicure, tattoo, piercing, or acupuncture with improperly sterilized tools
Having sexual contact with an infected partner
Giving first aid to, or receiving it from, an infected person
Receiving a medical or dental procedure with contaminated equipment
Sharing personal grooming items (such as nail clippers) with an infected person
Not all infected adults will experience symptoms. That means you could contract hepatitis A or B, and spread the viruses to others, without realizing it.
Symptoms of hepatitis A may include*:
Fever
Nausea
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Abdominal discomfort
Feeling unwell
Dark urine
Fatigue
* TWINRIX is not indicated to treat the symptoms of, or reduce serious consequences associated with hepatitis A and B.
Possible consequences of hepatitis A.*
Hepatitis A infection can have mild to severe consequences on infected individuals that can last from a few weeks to several months.
Chronic hepatitis and carrier states are not linked with hepatitis A infection.
However, relapsing hepatitis, a condition where a person gets worse again after a period of improvement, can last up to a year in 15% of cases.
While most infected people recover, the older you are, the more severe hepatitis A can be.
Approximately 25% of infected adults are hospitalized.
The overall case fatality rate, which is the proportion of deaths among the number of hepatitis A cases, is approximately 0.5%, but can reach 2.6% in adults over 60 years of age.
* TWINRIX is not indicated to treat the symptoms of, or reduce serious consequences associated with hepatitis A and B.
Symptoms of hepatitis B may include*:
Fatigue
Nausea
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Abdominal discomfort
Joint pain
Dark urine
Clay-coloured stool
* TWINRIX is not indicated to treat the symptoms of, or reduce serious consequences associated with hepatitis A and B.
Possible consequences of hepatitis B.*
While most recover from hepatitis B infection, 10% of adults become lifelong “carriers”.
If this happens, you can pass the virus on to others for the rest of your life without having symptoms yourself.
Chronic hepatitis B may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.*
Hepatitis A and B are two of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases in travellers.
* TWINRIX is not indicated to treat the symptoms of, or reduce serious consequences associated with hepatitis A and B.