What to Know About Hep A Before Your European Trip
So you finally booked that European vacation, congrats. Before you pack your suitcase and plan out all the cafés and castles, let’s talk Hepatitis A (aka Hep A). It’s not the funnest topic, but it’s one of those things travelers really should know.
What Is Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a virus that affects the liver. Unlike some other types of hepatitis, it usually doesn’t turn into something long-term, but it can make you feel really sick for weeks. Think fever, stomach pain, nausea, dark pee, and total lack of energy. Not exactly how you want to spend your trip.
So here’s a heads up if you’re planning that big Europe trip. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) just put out an alert about a multicountry outbreak of hepatitis A (HAV). The main hotspots right now are Austria, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia, over 2,000 cases already this year.
How It Spreads
People are catching it through close contact, food, and water. Austria has seen hospitalizations and even some deaths. Hungary has a bunch of cases in schools and nurseries. And because people move around so much in Europe, the outbreak has already crossed borders.
Symptoms to Watch For
Hep A isn’t something you want ruining your vacation. Symptoms can look like: sudden fever, stomach pain, nausea, fatigue, and that yellowing of the eyes/skin (jaundice). Kids often don’t even look sick, but adults can be down for weeks.
What Travelers Should Do:
Consider the vaccine: Even one dose before travel can give strong protection.
Wash hands: Old advice, but it works — after the bathroom, before eating, after changing diapers.
Be careful with food & water: Stick to bottled water if you’re unsure, and be mindful with raw foods.
Stay alert for symptoms: Tiredness, fever, nausea, yellowing of skin/eyes.
Most tourists won’t be directly in the highest-risk groups, but outbreaks can spread fast across borders. If Europe is on your itinerary — especially Austria, Czechia, Hungary, or Slovakia — it’s worth checking your vaccine status before you go. Better to spend your vacation exploring castles and cafés than stuck in bed with Hep A.