The UK P&I Club has urged seafarers to take precautions to avoid contracting hepatitis B, the “silent epidemic.”
The insurer said the disease was the number one reason for crew failing pre-employment medical tests.
It added the illness is easily preventable by vaccination and safe health practice, but it still kills more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS.
A total of 9.6% of all unfit crew were found to have the disease.
It is caused by a virus that infects the liver and is 50 to 100 times more infectious that HIV.
Hepatitis B leads to cirrhosis, carcinoma and liver failure.
The main symptoms are fatigue, abdominal pain and jaundice.
The Club said crew should take care regarding unsterile medical equipment, handling clinical waste, intravenous drug abuse and sexual contact.
“It is not a mandatory requirement to have received a vaccine to work onboard, although it is highly advisable,” it added.
