European Health Agency warns hepatitis spikes affect travelers

The surge in viral infections has ill thousands of travelers and has caused several deaths in some endemic European destinations.

According to a rapid assessment by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), four countries (Austria, Jepi, Hungary and Slovakia) reported a surge in hepatitis C A cases between January 2025 and May 2025.

A total of 2,097 cases were reported in these four countries.

What is hepatitis?

Slovakia, which has been dealing with the outbreak of activities since 2022, represents 880 of them. The Czech Republic is the next most affected country, with 600 and 6 deaths reported, the ECDC said. Hungary reported 530 cases in 2025 and Austria reported 87.

The agency said hepatitis C is an “acute viral liver disease” caused by the hepatitis virus (HAV).

The disease is transmitted primarily through contaminated food or water, or through close contact with the infected person.

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News, said hepatitis B is a “widely transmissible” disease that can easily spread among food handlers and “can make you very ill.”

Health officials warn

The agency noted that people who have not received the hepatitis C vaccine or are infected with the virus are vulnerable. Siegel said vaccination was divided into two doses, six to 12 months apart.

“People are immune for life after infection,” the doctor noted. “Doctors can check your titer (blood antibody levels) to record you’re immune to previous vaccinations.”

People who have not received hepatitis A vaccination or are infected with the virus are vulnerable. (iStock)

The groups most affected by infection include homeless people, those who use or inject recreational drugs or live in unhygienic conditions, and those with limited access to health care.

“In these groups, the risk of the disease is assessed as moderate as the severity of the disease increases with age, among older people under 40 years of age under 40,” the ECDC said.

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“The risk may be high for people with susceptible liver disease or older people. The risk for the wider population in these countries is assessed as low to moderate.”

Those who are immune to suppression are also at higher risk, the alarm says.

Fatigue, fever, joint pain, nausea and loss of appetite are common symptoms of hepatitis B. (iStock)

Not everyone experiences symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but those who do it may notice the following common effects (CDC).

• Dark urine or clay colored 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 B can cause serious illness and death, especially among people with access to health care and basic hygiene,” Ole Heuer, head of the ECDC One One Health division, said in a press release.

“We need to strengthen outreach activities, provide vaccination for groups that are more likely to be exposed and ensure basic hygiene, especially in response to the increase in cases.”

“People will have lifelong immunity after an infection. Doctors can check your titer (blood antibody levels) to record you’re immune to previous vaccinations.” (iStock)

To address the outbreak, the ECDC recommends investigating potential means of the transmission of hepatitis A, such as “food transmission that may increase the risk of infection or spillover into other groups.”

The agency also called for targeted vaccination programs, “post-exposure prevention” to close contact to prevent infection, genetic testing of the virus, and increased education and awareness among high-risk groups.

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According to the CDC, receiving hepatitis A vaccine or immunoglobulin (drugs containing antibodies) can prevent the disease within two weeks of exposure.