GALLUP SURVEYS UK GPs ON HEPATITIS A

With the recent introduction of its hepatitis A vaccine Havrix to the UK market, SmithKline Beecham has sponsored a Gallup survey amongst general practitioners to determine their awareness of the disease. Results of the survey suggest that their knowledge of the virus lags behind that of typhoid or cholera. However, hepatitis A affects up to 800 times more travellers than cholera and 40 times more than typhoid.

According to Gallup, three out of four of the 251 interviewed GPs were aware that travellers are more likely to be infected by hepatitis A than either typhoid or cholera when abroad. However, whilst almost all of them know that cholera and typhoid are transmitted through contaminated food and water, less than two thirds recognize that hepatitis A is transmitted in the same manner.

Although nine out of ten GPs questioned say they are asked for travel health counselling fairly frequently, their advice on who needs hepatitis A protection can vary, according to the study. Over 50% of those questioned recommend immunization for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is endemic. However, one in three practices consider that only the backpacking population, or those not staying in hotels, need protection.