State health officials issued a warning to consumers Tuesday night after a food service worker at a Bangor restaurant was diagnosed with acute hepatitis A virus.
The Maine Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the person handled food at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant on 10 shifts last month while infected. Health officials believe restaurant patrons who dined there on Oct. 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27 and 29 could be at risk of becoming infected with hepatitis A.
Anyone who had dine-in, take-out, delivery or curbside pickup of food from the restaurant on those dates should consider getting a vaccine within 14 days of their last exposure. During the 14-day window, the vaccine can reduce the likelihood of becoming infected. The Maine CDC says the best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated.
Individuals who visited the restaurant from Oct.16 through Oct. 18 are now outside the recommended window for the vaccine. They are being advised to watch for symptoms and seek medical attention if symptoms develop.
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Symptoms can range from mild illness to a severe sickness that requires hospitalization that can last for several months. Most adults with hepatitis A experience a sudden onset of symptoms such as tiredness, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, dark urine and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
The disease can be spread through contaminated water or food, especially by a person who is infected. Symptoms typically begin anywhere from 15 to 50 days after exposure. For more information about the virus visit: cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/index.htm
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