So sorry to hear you are unwell,we often think a little water to brush our teeth will be okay,maybe we're wrong.Thanks so much for your advice,hope you recover soon,T.

Thanks for the warning. Did you get the recommended vaccinations before you went?

luci

So sorry to hear of your illness. But clearly a warning to all to get their Hep A immunisations. If you also get the second one, it lasts for about 20 years, so well worth doing.

No. Didn't have any Jabs and blatantly ignored the advice to use Bottled Water for brushing teeth. Judging by the replies, at least I've alerted 2 people. However, like I said, there is no evidence my Hep A was contracted in Egypt, but you gotta say if someone is foolish enough to ignore the advice about the Water AND eat Food from Street Vendors (Fellafal & Kebabs at Old Market) then there is a decent chance. So, PLEASE use Bottled Water when brushing. We will deffo go back to Sharm, and we WILL be listening to the advice in future.

Although Contamination was possibly diagnosed in your condition, here are a few other facts that can contribute to Hep A. I know because i had this illness twinned with glandular fever and was off work (as a nurse) for 11 months. Most of the facts also relate to poor hand washing as well, this is a common factor in Egypt and third world countries. Sanitizers are a prevention but not a cure, hands must be washed first.

When i use toilets it does surprise me how many people do not wash hands, therefore after finishing visitors are transmitting germs freely from food to glasses to touching anything.

Every time we visit Egypt we used concealed bottles of water, but i always manage to shallow some water even though small from the shower.

Hep A can be caused by meat that isnt cooked to its highest temp to kill bacteria, if visitors eat a lot of steak, they may well be ill as it takes 3 days to exit the gut. Hence why i do not eat it on holiday in these type countries. It takes experience of visiting them to know what is good and bad.

I found this for people to read, hopefully it will help...........................

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hepatitis_a/page2_em.htm

Michelle x

I forgot to add that in my case i worked as a nurse and i got it would you believe from an infected cut and a dirty beer glass My little finger because infected and swelled up really bad, i went to the nurses club and drank from a glass that hadn't been washed correctly.

It was a while before it was diagnosed i had hep A, but with the kissing disease of glandular fever, it didn't go down well. My mum had to quit her job as a canteen lady in case she got it from me. If she didn't look after me then i would have been in hospital. I threw up several times a day and went from 9 stone to 5stone in a space of a few months. I couldn't eat and water just got stuck in my throat.

I scared my family a lot, they couldn't even come into my bedroom only my mum. Using the toilet well it had to be sterilised every time, and everything i touched. It has brought back a heap load of bad experiences, at the time i was just 18 years old, very vulnerable and scared. Knowing i could have lost my life was the worst scenario, but i came back to health a few years later to tell the tale.

Not at wanting to hijack this persons warning, but as i said there are many contributers to Hep A.

As already mentioned it is vital to have the correct injections, other wise this is a hard lesson for anyone to have to face.

Hope you feel a lot better soon

Michelle x

Really sorry to hear that you got ill and I hope that you get better soon. I have been to Sharm twice and first time I didn't get the jabs because I honestly didn't know any were needed its only through reading sites like this and TA that I now know. What annoys me is the amount of people who are oblivious to the requirements when you book through the main tour operators they never tell you and even put none on health requirements - although none are required they should advise you what is reccomended. This thread goes to show that the risks are there and people should be making informed choices and tour operators should be making sure people are aware of the risks. I have had my jabs now and will be getting the Hep A booster done in the next few months. Really do hope you feel better soon.

Hepititis whether it's A,B,or C is not a good thing to catch wherever you get it
Hope you get better really quick

I always thank goodness that I had ALL my jabs in 2000 (for a cruise which included South America) so will be ready for boosters soon

So people please think

BOTTLED WATER for everything
BATH instead of SHOWER

and if a glass/cup looks dirty, chipped, or cracked whatever country you are in send it back for a clean one

OHH this thread is making me really nervous now, we are going to one of the aqua hotels my kids always end up drinking half the pool !!!!!, I will be speaking to my doctors before we travel next easter about jabs, is there any other advise???

is there any other advise???

There is a whole dedicated topic on the subject here http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=30364&start=300

also take a look at this NHS Scotland advice http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx

Graham

Many thanks will take a peek .

After visiting many countries worldwide including Egypt,Turkey and Morrocco ,where vaccinations were only recommended and not compulsory,I never bothered to have any but and I finally came to my senses and had the lot last November.
I am sorry to hear of the OPs illness and by posting he may save someone from the same illness if by reading this they get the recommended vaccinations.
I have always used tap water to brush my teeth and never thought the water supply to the hotels in Sharm could be a source of Hepatitis.

Hope your feeling better,we travel to egypt on 28th march 2010,my sister and freind have both been to egypt but didnt have any vacc, they were fine we were not advised to have them by first choice who we booked with are we to late to have them now thanks

I have to be honest and say I am so glad I got my jabs this time round. I have become very ill on my return nothing to do with Egypt or the hotel or the food but the flight home has had a very bad effect on my ears and sinuses and the poor air circulating through the plane combinded with my sinuses playing up has caused quite a nasty infection. When I got rushed to the doc's first thing they asked was whether I had, had the injections before I went. It was very reassuring that I had and I could rule out some of the more nasty stuff it could have been I dread to think what they would have done or tested me for if I had of said no.

And Taffy Flint - its First Choice who I book with too and tell me they are not needed.

Taffy, ideally injections should be done a few weeks before travel but having them done late is probably better than never (I'm not a medical person so don't quote me on that). Besides, if you have them done now you won't need them the next time you holiday in Egypt!

This may sound a bit silly but if the tapwater is unclean will our hands not be "dirty" after we wash them, and what about the glasses and plates etc?

I think that's the reason you are advised to use alcohol gel frequently.

While this is a terrible thing to happen to you William and I hope you make a full and speedy recovery I don't think we should blow this out of poportion and start to panic.

Many thousands of visitors visit Egypt and Sharm each tear and they have showers, brush their teeth in tap water and have ice in drinks and suffer no serious illness or adverse reaction, William has been really unfortunate in contracting such a serious illness and this acts a timely reminder that it is important to have all your recommended vaccinations.

Graham

William - I very much hope you are on the mend.

I thought you only needed jabs if you were going into the back of beyond - not just going to Sharm! I really am going to get the jabs now, so can someone tell me if you need to pay for these, and if so, how much do they cost? (I know this is a stupid question but you never know!)