THE death rate from hepatitis A among international travellers is as high as that from other travel diseases, according to a new study from the Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board.
Hepatitis A is a viral disease which attacks the liver and usually causes jaundice. People who come into contact with human waste are most at risk, and infected people who do not wash their hands properly after using the toilet could infect many others.
It is 100 to 1,000 times more common in travellers than malaria, typhoid, cholera, polio or rabies, according to the study. Even though the mortality rate from the disease is low, because it is so common the overall number of deaths is similar to those from the other diseases.