Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay
The City of Milwaukee Health Department issued a news release on November 18, 2024 about a potential hepatitis A exposure at Beans & Barley. A local food establishment offering breakfast, deli sandwiches, and an organic market on the city’s East Side.
Here’s what we know about the potential hepatitis A exposure at Beans & Barley in Milwaukee.
An employee of Beans & Barley tested positive for the hepatitis A virus, a highly contagious and potentially foodborne illness.
According to the press release, “the individual took necessary precautions after developing symptoms and is fully cooperating with public health officials to minimize the risk of further transmission.”
Employee records indicate that the employee worked at Beans & Barley while infectious between October 31 and November 13, 2024.
Potential Exposure Dates:
10/31/24 through 11/18/24
The risk of exposure may be low, as the employee allegedly worked in an administrative capacity, however out of an abundance of caution, anyone visiting or consuming food at the restaurant during those dates should get vaccinated if possible and monitor for symptoms.
The Milwaukee Health Department is working closely with Beans & Barley to identify and notify those individuals that may have been exposed.
The Milwaukee Health Department has given approval for Beans & Barley to remain open following the potential hepatitis A exposure event.
There is no ongoing risk beyond the potential exposure dates above.
“Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease, and vaccination is the best protection against it,” said Milwaukee Commissioner of Health, Mike Totoraitis, PhD. “While the risk with this situation is low, we are still taking this situation seriously and acting swiftly to prevent further spread. Beans & Barley has been fully cooperative throughout this process, and we are working together to protect the health of the community.”
Hepatitis is a type of liver inflammation. Hepatitis A is caused by a virus.
While the inception of the hepatitis A vaccine recommendations in 1996 has shown a marked decline in cases of hepatitis A infection in the United States, a number of outbreaks have been reported in recent years.
Not all of these outbreaks are related to food exposure though. Hepatitis A can also be transmitted through blood or sexual fluids.
The virus spreads from one infected person to another. It makes its way into the stool and blood of an infected person. Hepatitis A can be present in the body and even spread before the infected person begins to feel sick.
In the case of foodborne exposure, eating contaminated food is the most likely cause.
But how does contamination occur?
Food can become contaminated with hepatitis A through stool or blood at any point in the food supply chain.
This include:
Even if the infected employee worked in an administrative position and did not handle food, there could still be exposure risk.
Ineffective or absent handwashing after bathroom activities could leave trace amounts of virus on surfaces throughout the restaurant. Commonly touched doors, menus, countertops, etc. may have been contaminated with hepatitis A virus.
Hepatitis A is one of the few foodborne illnesses that a prophylactic vaccination can help prevent infection.
The vaccine is most effective if administered within two weeks of exposure.
Depending on your age and health, a healthcare provider may also recommend administering immune globulin (IG) in addition to the vaccine. This helps to increase its effectiveness. This is because IG is made from blood and contains antibodies primed to help your body fight a potential infection.
A second dose should be administered six months later.
Potentially exposed individuals are urged to get vaccinated.
The Milwaukee Health Department held an emergency Hepatitis A vaccination clinic on November 18, 2024. However, the two-dose vaccine can also be acquired through your local pharmacy, your primary care provider, or at any City of Milwaukee Health Department walk-in immunization clinic.
If you have already received two vaccines (an initial and a six-month booster) at any point in your life, you likely have immunity and do not need to revaccinate. Specialized laboratory tests can determine your titer to be sure.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) not everyone who has hepatitis A is symptomatic. In fact, children are more likely than adults to be asymptomatic.
If symptoms do develop, they often begin to appear around two to seven weeks after exposure and generally lasts less than two months. In some cases, however, people may remain sick for as long as six months.
Hepatitis A symptoms are similar to other illnesses involving the liver. Most of the time, if you present symptoms consistent with liver issues, your health care provider will test you for hepatitis A. If you begin experiencing symptoms, notify your healthcare provider of your potential exposure to expedite diagnosis.
Common hepatitis A infection symptoms include:
If you contracted Hepatitis A after visiting or eating food from at Beans & Barley you may have questions? A Hepatitis A lawyer can help answer those questions. The Hepatitis A Lawyers at The Lange Law Firm are experienced at helping people through situations just like this.
The Lange law Firm offers free, no obligation consultations and can help you explore your legal rights. Reach out for your free consultation by phone at (833) 330-3663 or click here to fill out an online submission form.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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