Most of us daydream about flying off to an exotic destination to escape the stress of everyday life. In fact, in 2005 Canadians took more than three million trips to the Caribbean and Mexico.
Understanding some of the health risks you may encounter when
travelling abroad is important to ensure a safe and healthy
holiday.
The following information may be helpful in breaking some
common myths:
Myth: The only thing I need to worry about when travelling is getting an upset stomach and diarrhea.
Fact: False. One of the other things is hepatitis. Hepatitis A
and B are liver diseases that are common in most developing
countries, as well as in popular vacation spots such as Mexico
and the Caribbean. Each year, through travel and at home,
between 900 and 3,000 Canadians become infected with Hepatitis
A and more than 3,000 cases of Hepatitis B are diagnosed.
Myth: As long as I avoid ice cubes and drinking the water, I won't get sick.
Fact: False. Even though travellers may think they're playing
it safe by avoiding the water, both Hepatitis A and B can be
contracted unknowingly through a number of different sources.
For example, Hepatitis B is spread through contact with blood
and bodily fluids of infected individuals, or through
perforation of the skin with unsterilized equipment.
Even simple activities such as manicures or pedicures can increase a person's risk of infection if contaminated spa tools are used.
Myth: Hepatitis A and B aren't that serious.
Fact: False. Both Hepatitis A and B are serious liver diseases
that can have severe consequences. In fact, Hepatitis B is 100
times more infectious than HIV, and kills more than one million
people worldwide each year. It is one of the most common
infectious diseases worldwide. Furthermore, about 25 percent of
reported adult cases of Hepatitis A require hospitalization,
and 15 percent of people infected with the disease are sick for
up to a year. Hepatitis A patients usually miss up to six weeks
of work due to the illness.
In Canada, Hepatitis A outbreaks have been linked to
supermarkets and restaurants. The Hepatitis A virus was even
found in several public pools.  Hepatitis A is preventable
by vaccine.
The Hepatitis B virus is 100 times more infectious than HIV and
is the leading cause of liver cancer worldwide. It is spread
through direct contact with infected blood and other body
fluids (i.e. saliva and semen). The virus is most commonly
transmitted through sexual contact, non-sterile tattooing and
body piercing, and shared use of contaminated needles, razors
or toothbrushes.  Hepatitis B is also preventable by
vaccine.
Hepatitis C is spread through direct contact with the blood of
an infected person. People most at risk are those who have
received tattoos or body piercings with non-sterile equipment,
who use (or have experimented with) injection drugs, or who
received blood transfusions before 1990. Hepatitis C is not
preventable by vaccine. 
 
Taking a few simple precautions can often prevent hepatitis.
Talk to your doctor about immunization, practice safe sex, make
sure sterile equipment is used in tattooing and body piercing,
and never share needles, toothbrushes, razors, or other
personal articles that many contain traces of blood.
More information on preventing hepatitis is available at
www.liver.ca
, or phone the Canadian Liver Foundation at 1-800-563-5483.
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