Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Hep A,Hepatitis A,Outbreaks & Recalls on December 5, 2024
Just before Thanksgiving, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an announcement of a possible hepatitis A exposure at Buffalo Wild Wings in Monterey Park. Hepatitis A can be transmitted by food handled by an infected food worker.
Here’s what we know about the possible hepatitis A exposure at Buffalo Wild Wings, and what you can do if you may have been exposed.
On November 27, 2024, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced that they were investigating a report of a hepatitis A infection in an employee at the Monterey Park Buffalo Wild Wings. The restaurant where this possible exposure event occurred is located at 4000 Market Place in Monterey Park.
“Based on the employee’s job duties and symptoms while at work, Public Health is recommending that patrons who consumed food or beverages from Buffalo Wild Wings in Monterey Park between November 13, 2024 and November 22, 2024, receive hepatitis A vaccine if they are not already immune to it and to monitor for the symptoms listed below,” said the statement.
Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). This virus can stay in the environment for months.
It is hardy too! It can survive at low pH levels and even when frozen. Few things can inactivate or “kill” the virus. Only high temperatures (185° F or higher), formalin, and chlorine are known to kill the virus.
Special hepatitis A cleaning and sanitation protocols are necessary in a food establishment following a hepatitis A exposure event.
This phrase keeps being passed around. “Hepatitis A exposure event.”
But what does it mean?
A hepatitis A exposure event happens when someone infected with the hepatitis A virus, who is still contagious, interacts with others in a way that could spread the virus. Potentially unknowingly exposing them to the virus.
In some cases, the infected person may not even realize they are infected or infectious. This is because a person is most contagious during the two weeks before they even know they are sick.
Hepatitis A is spread when someone unknowingly ingests the virus from food, drinks, surfaces, or objects that are contaminated by small, undetectable amounts of stool from someone infected with the virus.
This is why experts cause this the fecal-oral route.
But it really doesn’t take much to transmit the virus. Trace amounts that you cannot see with your eyes, smell with you nose, or thankfully taste with your mouth. That’s all the virus needs to invade the next person.
High touch areas, such as countertops, writing utensils, and door handles contribute to the spread of infection, especially if the unsuspecting person does not wash their hands prior to eating or touching their mouth.
I say this over and over and over again. WASH YOUR HANDS!
Effective hand washing is the first line of defense in both spreading and preventing infection.
About 10 to 12 days after infection, the hepatitis A virus can be found in the blood of an infected person. From there it is excreted through what is called the biliary system into the host’s feces.
The amount of virus that is shed by the infected person will begin to decline around seven to ten days after original symptoms begin. Most people are no longer infectious after three weeks.
The timeline can be tricky though. This is because it can take up to 28 days from exposure for symptoms to begin. Or even longer. Hepatitis A has a wide incubation period range. This incubation period range is anywhere from 15 days to 50 days.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health recommends that any “patrons who develop symptoms should call their provider and ask for a hepatitis A test.
Once someone with hepatitis A begins feeling sick, symptoms come on fairly strong and can persist for up to two months. Some people may experience prolonged infection symptoms or even relapse for up to six months. During this time, virus may continue to shed, making the person infectious during relapse.
Common symptoms in adults may include:
Symptoms in young children, on the other hand, are very different. Most of the time children show no symptoms at all. In fact, studies have shown that around 70% of children younger than six years of age are asymptomatic. In contrast, around 70% of older children and adults experience jaundice and/or other symptoms associated with hepatitis A virus infection.
Unfortunately, there is no treatment for hepatitis A. Infection is managed by treating symptoms, hydration, and monitoring the liver.
Proper handwashing is your best bet in preventing hepatitis A infection after being vaccinated. A prior hepatitis A infection does not provide immunity in this case.
Fortunately, you can use the hepatitis A vaccine as a sort of prophylaxis. This is because a hepatitis A vaccine administered AFTER exposure can still provide some protection.
If a hepatitis A vaccine is administered promptly (a minimum of two weeks after exposure), there is a significant chance that the exposed person will not become sick.
To help this process stick even better, certain groups of people may also be given a type of immunoglobulin along with the vaccine. This is usually co-administered in those at higher risk for infection or more severe illness.
Talk to your healthcare provider about immunoglobulin WITH hepatitis A vaccine if you are:
Post exposure hepatitis A vaccination is very effective. In fact, more than 95% of adults and 97% of children develop protective antibodies within four weeks of a single dose.
A typical hepatitis A vaccine protocol also includes an additional dose six months later.
So far, no other infected individual has been identified. “Public health will continue monitoring all known individuals who may have been exposed to individuals ill with hepatitis A.”
The department instructs concerned citizens to contact the Public Health InfoLine at 1-833-540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to find a nearby clinic or doctor.
Did you consume food from Buffalo Wild Wings in Monterey Park during the listed times? You may have a legal case if you become infected.
Contact the experienced Hepatitis A Lawyers at The Lange Law Firm. They have helped families with situations just like yours navigate the legal process and receive the justice they deserve.
The Lange Law Firm offers free 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 email.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)