Travel Health |
Published on: 12 March 2010 |
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Hepatitis A outbreak in France
The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) has reported on a recent increase in cases of hepatitis A in 18 metropolitan departments of France, associated with consumption of sundried tomatoes imported from Turkey [1, 2] . A similar and possibly linked outbreak was reported in Australia during 2009 where sundried tomatoes were also implicated.
NaTHNaC advises that all travellers should practise food, water and personal hygiene precautions especially in regions and countries experiencing outbreaks. Hepatitis A can also be prevented by vaccination. Vaccine recommendations for France are available on the NaTHNaC Country Information Pages.
References
1.
NaTHNaC. Hepatitis outbreak in France, Clinical Update 9 March 2009 [online] [accessed 12 March 2010]. Available at: http://www.nathnac.org/pro/clinical_updates/hepatitisa_france_090310.htm.
2. The Institute for Public Health, France, Outbreak of hepatitis A, France, November 2009 - February 2010, 1 March 2010, [Accessed 09 March 2010]. Available at: http://www.invs.sante.fr/display/?doc=surveillance/hepatite_a/point_vha_020310.htm
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Future routine reports on travel-associated infections
The Health Protection Report is no longer publishing quarterly reports on travel-associated infections. Instead annual data will be available on the travel pages of the main HPA website. This HPR Travel Health page will in future publish summaries of, and links to, selected clinical updates on travel health issues produced by the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), and related articles.
NaTHNaC is an HPA-commissioned organisation which provides expert and evidence-based travel health advice for health professionals who are advising travellers. These clinical updates are produced in response to international outbreaks (or other events such as natural disasters) that may affect British travellers and/or to highlight any significant changes to travel health advice. A full list of previous clinical updates is available on the NaTHNaC website.