The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, which provides public health services for Kanawha and Putnam Counties, has confirmed Hepatitis A cases in food service workers at American Inn at 419 Hurricane Creek Road in Hurricane, Buck’s Pizza at 4001 First Ave. in Nitro and McDonald’s at 312 Hurricane Creek Road in Hurricane. One employee at each facility has been confirmed. This is part of an investigation involving the Hepatitis A outbreak began in February.
As a precaution, family members and coworkers at each site are receiving Hepatitis A immunizations, according to CDC protocols.
When an individual working at a food service establishment is diagnosed, KCHD officials do an onsite inspection to review food-handling practices. This includes talking with employees and observing food-handling procedures.
Stanley Mills, director of environmental health services, identified no unsafe food handling practices at the facilities warranting the health department issue warnings to patrons suggesting immunizations because of possible exposure.
Public transmission by a food handler is uncommon if restaurant employees follow proper handwashing requirements and wear gloves. Food handlers are not at increased risk for Hepatitis A because of their occupation unless they have identified risk factors or personal contact with a person who has risk factors.
Although transmission risk is extremely low, the health department recommends patrons who consumed food or drinks at the restaurants monitor for Hepatitis A symptoms. These include abdominal pain, dark urine, fatigue, fever, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), light-colored stools, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. If symptoms occur, seek medical attention.
The infectious period, when the employee could have potentially transmitted the disease, are: American Inn, April 26 – May 16; Buck’s Pizza, April 13 – May 02; and McDonald’s, April 25 – May 12. Work schedules for employees during that period are not immediately available. The possibility of transmission is present only when the employee was working at the facility.
West Virginia has been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of a multistate Hepatitis A outbreak. Transmission in cases in states involved with the outbreak has been by person-to person contact occurring primarily among persons who are homeless or who use injection and non-injection drugs and their close direct contacts.
The Bureau for Public Health is providing free Hepatitis A vaccine for high-risk groups in outbreak counties. High-risk groups include close personal contacts of persons diagnosed with Hepatitis A, drug users and the homeless. The health department screens for insurance eligibility before using the state-supplied vaccine.
Additional information can be found on the health department website www.kchdwv.org or by calling the health department at 304-348-8050.