The outburst of hepatitis to infect thousands of passengers to popular destinations

An increase in viral infections has caused thousands of travelers and has caused several deaths in some popular European destinations.

Four countries (Austria, Czech, Hungary and Slovakia) have reported cases in hepatitis between January and May 2025, according to a rapid risk evaluation published by the European Center for Prevention and Disease Control (ECDC).

In total, 2,097 cases have been reported through the four countries.

What is hepatitis?

Slovakia, which has been an active outbreak since 2022, represents 880 of these cases. Chechen is the next most affected country, which reported 600 cases and six deaths, said the ECDC. Hungary reported 530 cases by 2025 and Austria reported 87.

Hepatitis A is a “acute viral liver disease” caused by the virus of hepatitis A (HAV), according to the agency.

The disease extends mainly by contaminated foods or water or through narrow contact with infected people.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News Senior Medical Analyst, said hepatitis A is a “widely transmissible” disease that is easily extended among food handlers and can be sick. “

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People who have not received hepatitis A or have been infected by the virus are susceptible, according to the agency. The vaccination occurs in two doses, six to 12 months apart, according to Siegel.

“People will have a lifetime immunity after the infection,” the doctor said. “A doctor can check titles (levels of blood antibodies) to document that you are immune from previous vaccination.”

The groups most affected by infections include homeless people, use or inject recreational or non -sanitary conditions, as well as those that have limited access to health.

“Within these groups, the risk of the disease is valued as a moderate for children under 40 and the maximum for adults of 40 years or older, as the seriousness of the disease increases with age,” said the ECDC.

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“For people with predisposed liver diseases or adults, risk can be very high. The risk to the broadest population in these countries is considered low to moderate.”

Those who are immunosuppressed also have a higher risk, said the alert.

Not everyone will develop symptoms, but those who do so may notice the following common effects, according to North -American Disease Control and Prevention Centers (CDC).

• Dark urine or clay stool
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea, stomach pain or vomiting
• Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)

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“This outbreak reminds us that hepatitis A can cause severe diseases and deaths, especially among people with limited access to health care and basic hygiene,” said Ole Heuer, head of the ECDC’s Health Unit, in a statement.

“We need to strengthen dissemination, provide access to vaccination in groups that are more likely to be exposed and ensure basic sanitation, especially in response to increased cases.”

To address the outbreak, the ECDC recommends investigating the potential transmission means of hepatitis A, such as “possible food transmission or spill in other groups with a greater risk of infection”.

The agency also calls for vaccination programs directed, “post-exhibition prophylaxis” to close contacts to prevent infection and more genetic tests of the virus, as well as increase education and awareness between high-risk groups.

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According to the CDC, receiving the vaccine against hepatitis A or the immune globulin (medicines containing antibodies) in the two weeks after the exposure can prevent the disease.