protect yourself from hepatitis a when travelling
overview
immunization against the hepatitis a virus (hav) is recommended for anyone travelling to any country or area except:footnote 1
- australia.
- canada.
- japan.
- new zealand.
- the united states.
- western europe and the scandinavian countries (norway, sweden, and finland).
talk to your doctor before visiting any other areas.
if you plan to travel to a part of the world where sanitation is poor or where hepatitis a is a known problem, see your doctor about receiving the hepatitis a vaccine, or the combination hepatitis a and b vaccine. (risk of hepatitis b increases if you go to a high-risk country frequently or stay for a long time.)
when travelling in an area where hepatitis a is a known problem or where water quality is questionable:
- boil water before you drink it. bring the water to a rolling boil for 1 minute. if you are at an elevation of 2000 m (6562 ft) or higher, boil the water for 3 minutes. do not drink tap water or well water or beverages containing ice cubes.
- do not brush your teeth with tap water or well water.
- make sure all foods are cooked well, especially shellfish.
- eat only raw fruits and vegetables that you have washed in uncontaminated water and peeled yourself.
- don't swim in water that has not been treated with chlorine.
- don't drink bath or shower water.
credits
current as of: june 12, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
current as of: june 12, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
sharapov um, teshale eh (2014). infectious diseases related to travel: hepatitis a. centers for disease control and prevention. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/hepatitis-a. accessed december 24, 2014.
