Archived health tips
Travellers, get your shots!
Thousands of Canadians plan on travelling abroad this winter. As we know, when visiting
certain areas of the world, there is a very real risk of developing health problems.
To avoid contracting serious diseases, health professionals generally recommend
getting vaccinated before you travel.
Let’s talk about one of the most commonly recommended travel immunizations: the
hepatitis A and B vaccine.
The ABCs of hepatitis
There are various types of hepatitis (diseases involving inflammation of the liver):
viral and non-viral, the latter being caused by alcohol, medications, hazardous
products or bacteria, among other factors). The best known forms of viral hepatitis
(90 percent of cases) are types A, B and C. There are vaccines to protect against
hepatitis A and B, but not C.
Here are the main features of hepatitis A and B:
Hepatitis A: It starts with an abrupt fever, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort
and nausea, followed by jaundice. In rare cases, it can cause fatal liver damage.
The hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for travellers to developing countries, especially
rural areas and locations where food and water are likely to be contaminated, as
well as regions where hepatitis A is widespread.
Hepatitis B: More serious than hepatitis A, hepatitis B is unfortunately the most
common form. It spreads via blood and other body fluids and through sexual contact.
From 15 to 40 percent of carriers of the virus will experience liver damage or eventually
develop a liver disease (chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis). The vaccine is suggested
for travellers staying more than six months in a country with widespread hepatitis
B.
While hepatitis A can be eliminated without recourse to medication, hepatitis B
is gene-rally treated with drug therapy.
If you have further questions, talk to your pharmacist or visit a travel clinic.