A case of hepatitis A has been diagnosed in an employee who handled food at Anderson’s Pizzeria located at 1411 Campbellsville Road, Columbia KY.
While it is rare for restaurant patrons to become infected with hepatitis A virus due to an infected food handler, anyone who consumed food or drink at Anderson’s Pizzeria between June 7, 2018 – June 22, 2018 may consider Hepatitis A vaccination. Anderson’s Pizzeria is fully cooperating with the Health Department and all employees are being vaccinated. There is no risk of contracting hepatitis A from the establishment at this time, and no case of hepatitis A in the current Kentucky outbreak has been associated with food service establishments.
Vaccine is available through your local pharmacy, the Health Department and your health care provider.
Careful hand washing, including under the fingernails, with soap and water, along with vaccination of anyone at risk of infection, will prevent the spread of this disease.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that can cause loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, fever, stomach pain, brown colored urine, and light colored stools. Yellowing of the skin or eyes may also appear. People can become ill up to 7 weeks after being exposed to the virus.
Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. The virus spreads when an infected person does not wash his/her hands adequately after using the toilet or engages in behaviors that increase risk of infection.
CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for the following groups:
All children at age 1 year
Travelers to countries that have high rates of hepatitis A
Family members and caregivers of recent adoptees from countries where hepatitis A is common
Men who have sexual contact with other men
People who use injection and non-injection illegal drugs
People with chronic (lifelong) liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C
People who are treated with clotting-factor concentrates
People who work with hepatitis A infected animals or in a hepatitis A research laboratory
For additional information on the larger outbreak occurring in Kentucky, please visit https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/idb/Pages/hepatitis.aspx.
For more information, please call Dr. Christine Weyman at (606) 678-4761, ext. 1110.
