Thirteen years ago, Samantha Spencer ate a handful of fresh strawberries and wound up with hepatitis a, a virus that infects the liver and is commonly associated with eating contaminated food while on vacation.

But Spencer was not away at a tropical, all-inclusive resort — she was 15 years old and at a summer camp near Toronto.

"it was a shock," the 28-year-old woman says now, looking back on what she calls a "traumatic" experience. "I never suspected that I could get it in Toronto."

Spencer is like the majority of Canadians who, according to a new poll by the Canadian Liver Foundation released Wednesday, believe common myths about food-related illnesses and may have a false sense of security when it comes to food safety.

The survey conducted by the charity found that most Canadians erroneously believe that where they eat and where they shop will help protect them from such food-related illnesses as hepatitis a.

They also falsely believe that hepatitis a and hepatitis B are mostly diseases contracted outside Canadian borders, notes the report.

"most tend to think of these as travel-related diseases when, in fact, the majority of patients who pick up hepatitis a pick up their disease in Canada. this is true of hepatitis B as well," Dr. Morris Sherman, chairman of the Canadian Liver Foundation, said in an interview.

Sixty-five per cent of Canadians surveyed said they knew they could be exposed to hepatitis a when eating on holiday, but only 35 per cent recognized there are risks in Canada. Almost 60 per cent said they were not worried about contracting a food-related disease because they buy their fresh produce from a reputable store and 63 per cent said they felt safe because they eat at reputable restaurants. just over half of those polled — 53 per cent — said they try to purchase local fruits and vegetables and, therefore, they don’t need to be concerned.

"Canadians really are not fully aware of the risks of acquiring either hepatitis a or B," Sherman said.

Leger Marketing questioned 1,521 Canadians. The survey has a confidence level of 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Hepatitis a is usually acquired by ingesting contaminated water or food that was grown in contaminated soil or washed with contaminated water from areas with poor sanitation standards. It’s also spread by food service workers who fail to wash their hands properly after going to the bathroom.

In some cases, such as Spencer’s, symptoms don’t immediately show up, but when they do, they can last a few weeks to several months.

Spencer noticed she was feeling ill about a month after eating the contaminated fruit, and thought she had the flu. She was fatigued, lost her appetite, dropped nearly seven kilograms in two weeks, and then, her skin turned yellow — a classic symptom of a liver disorder. a blood test confirmed Spencer had hepatitis a, along with three other campers who also ate the strawberries.

"You can’t sleep, you’re itchy, you’re so uncomfortable, weak, tired, and you don’t want to go out in public because you’re bright yellow," said Spencer, who was sick for about six weeks.

While she feels her digestive system never fully recovered from her bout with the virus, Spencer has a clean bill of health.

In the wake of her illness, the young woman said she is extra cautious about what she eats.

"For a while, I felt like I had to become hyper-vigilant about how my food was prepared and what I was eating," she said.

Proper hygiene and food handling can help reduce the risk of infection, but Sherman, a liver specialist at Toronto General Hospital, advises Canadians to get vaccinated against both hepatitis a and B.

Hepatitis B is spread through blood and bodily fluids and risk factors include having unprotected sex and getting a tattoo or piercing, a pedicure, manicure or a dental or medical procedure with inadequately sterilized instruments. it has similar symptoms to hepatitis a but can keep recurring. An estimated 250,000 Canadians are living with chronic hepatitis B, which can cause scarring of the liver, liver cancer and organ failure.

The Liver Foundation survey also revealed that Canadians are not taking the proper precautions to protect themselves from liver diseases. Only 49 per cent said they always wash their produce and only 43 per cent said they do not re-wash their frozen or bagged fruits and vegetables. Only one-third believe they are vaccinated against hepatitis a and 37 per cent think they are vaccinated against hepatitis B.

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