Hepatitis A in France (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
29 Jan 2018
French public health authorities
have reported an outbreak of hepatitis A in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwest France. In 2018 there were 229 cases, eight times as many cases as were reported in 2016. Fifty-nine percent of cases were reported in the Gironde department (around Bordeaux) and the majority of cases were men.
Recommendations for Travellers
Hepatitis A is spread by the faecal-oral route and most travellers to the affected areas will be at low risk of infection.
Prevention is focused on food and water precautions and practising meticulous hand and personal hygiene to reduce the risk of hepatitis A infection. Detailed risk management advice can be found via following links:
Vaccination is recommended if you are visiting areas where drinking water may be unsafe and where hygiene and sanitation is poor. Men who have sex with men are at higher risk of hepatitis A infection. There are various brands of hepatitis A vaccine available: Avaxim, Havrix Monodose, Havrix Junior Monodose and Vaqta Paediatric.
Hepatitis A vaccine is also available in a preparation that combines it with hepatitis B vaccine: Ambirix, Twinrix and Twinrix Paediatric and a preparation that combines it with typhoid vaccine: Hepatyrix and ViATIM.
For further information see Hepatitis A.