Wear Gloves When Handling Body Fluids
Wearing gloves when handling body fluids like blood can reduce your risk of exposure to hepatitis B and hepatitis C. While intact skin is an excellent defense against viruses, a small wound or unnoticed cut on your hand is large enough to allow a virus inside your body from handling infected blood. If you work in an environment where you could even imagine the possibility of contacting blood (for example, a school), it’s a good idea to keep a pair of disposable, latex-free gloves nearby.Avoid Contaminated Water and Food
Since the hepatitis A virus is spread through the fecal-oral route, infection can happen by eating foods and drinking water contaminated with infected feces. Unaware travelers are infected in this way because this rarely happens in the United States. This is most common in underdeveloped countries where public sanitation needs improvement and public water supplies are unprotected.Sources:
Fiore MD, Anthony, Wasley DrPH, Annemarie, Bell MD, Beth. "Prevention of Hepatitis A Through Active or Passive Immunization." MMWR 2006 55(RR07):1-23.
Viral Hepatitis B. Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 26, 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/fact.htm
Viral Hepatitis C. Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 6, 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/fact.htm
