The European Health Agency warns against hepatitis in Pike affecting travelers

An increase in viral infections has rendered thousands of travelers and caused several deaths in certain popular European destinations.

Four countries – Austria, Cheche, Hungary and Slovakia – reported a peak in cases of hepatitis A between January and May 2025, according to a rapid risk assessment published by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

In total, 2,097 cases were reported in the four countries.

What is hepatitis?

Slovakia, which faces an active epidemic since 2022, represents 880 of these cases. The Cheche is the most affected country, signaling 600 cases and six deaths, said the ECDC. Hungary reported 530 cases in 2025 and Austria reported 87.

Hepatitis A is “acute viral liver disease” caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), according to the agency.

Hepatitis A is “acute viral liver disease” caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), according to the agency. (Cavallini James / BSIP / Universal Images Group via Getty Images)))

The disease is mainly propagated by contaminated foods or water, or in close contact with infected people.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News principal medical analyst, said hepatitis A is a “largely transmitted” disease that is easily spread among food managers and “can make you very sick”.

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People who have not received vaccination of hepatitis A or who have been infected with the virus are sensitive, the agency noted. Vaccinations are given in two doses, six to 12 months apart, according to Siegel.

“People will have immunity for life after infection,” noted the doctor. “A doctor can check your titles (blood antibody levels) to document that you are immune to previous vaccination.”

People who have not received vaccination of hepatitis A or who have been infected with the virus are sensitive. (istock)

The groups most affected by infections include homeless people, use or inject recreational drugs or live in unsanitary conditions, as well as those with limited access to health care.

“Within these groups, the risk of illness is assessed as moderate for those under the age of 40 and high for adults aged 40 or over, as the severity of the disease increases with age,” said ECDC.

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“For people with a predisposing liver disease or the elderly, the risk may be very high. The risk for the broader population in these countries is evaluated as low to moderate.”

Those who are immunocompromised are also more at risk, said the alert.

Austria reported 87 cases of hepatitis A in 2025. (istock)

Not everyone will develop symptoms, but those who do so may notice the following common effects, according to centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States (CDC).

• Dark urine or clay color stools
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea, stomach pain or vomiting
• Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)

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“This epidemic reminds us that hepatitis A can cause serious illnesses and death, especially in people with limited access to health care and basic hygiene,” Heuer Heuer, head of the ECDC health unit, in a press release.

“We must strengthen awareness, give access to group vaccination more likely to be exposed and ensure basic sanitation, in particular in response to the increase in cases.”

“People will have immunity for life after infection. A doctor can check your titles (blood antibody levels) to document that you are safe from previous vaccination.” (istock)

To combat the epidemic, the ECDC recommends studying the potential means of transmission of hepatitis A, such as “a possible transmission of food origin or spills in other groups with increased risk of infection”.

The agency also calls for targeted vaccination programs, a “post-exhibition prophylaxis” to close contacts to prevent infection, and more genetic tests of the virus, as well as increased education and awareness among high-risk groups.

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