The cases increased by 356% in one year. In a press release published on August 19, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) expressed an increase in liver infections in a big French city. “73 cases have been declared between January 1 and July 31, 2025. The increase has been even more obvious since the beginning of July with 57 cases reported.”
The virus is present in the faeces of affected people, the disease is transmitted through contaminated hands or foods. Frequently, it goes unnoticed, especially in children. It can be manifested by the presence of fever, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, asthenia and jaundice. “We invite you to be vigilant in the face of patients with compatible symptoms” asks the DGS to healthcare professionals.
This virus is known to the health authorities since it is the hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease. In the majority of cases, it heals spontaneously without sequelae but serious forms exist, especially in immunocompromised, elderly people, with pre-existing liver diseases … If the incidence of hepatitis has increased overall in Europe, the DGS is worried about the increase in cases currently observed in the Rhône “Mostly in the city of Lyon and more specifically at the level of the 7th arrondissement”. This increase “Let us think that the circulation of the virus is currently very active and could increase in the coming weeks.”
The authorities are not aware of the cause of this resurgence but “Investigations are underway”. About twenty cases of hepatitis A were also reported in June in the city of Nantes. In case of doubt about the symptoms, a doctor must be viewed. Hepatitis A is a compulsory declaration disease. It is detected by blood test. To protect yourself, there is a vaccine. This is not compulsory but recommended to certain populations (travelers who leave in countries where the hygiene of water and food is precarious, members of the entourage of a person with hepatitis A, men with sexual relations with men, patients with chronic liver disease …).
