The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a food service worker in Lewistown has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.
The person worked at Marco’s Italian Restaurant at 12 Mollison Way while he was infected, News Center Maine reported.
The person’s infectious period reportedly occurred during the days they worked at the restaurant:
- September.eleven
- September. 13
- September. 15-16th
- September. 18
- September. 20-22nd
- September. 25
- September. 27-28th
Hepatitis A can be spread through person-to-person contact or by eating contaminated food or water, the CDC said in a statement.
The Maine CDC also adds that anyone who purchases or consumes food or drinks at a restaurant may be at risk for infection.
“Infected people can spread the virus to others from about two weeks before to one week after the onset of symptoms,” the CDC said in a news release.
Anyone who may have been exposed should contact their health care provider.
The Maine CDC says individuals who may have been exposed should take the following steps:
- Discard any leftover food purchased at this restaurant during the above dates.
- If eligible, get vaccinated.
- If you eat or drink at this restaurant during these dates, please get a hepatitis A vaccine within 14 days of the last time you eat or drink there.
- If more than 14 days have passed, people who have not been vaccinated before can still get vaccinated at any time to prevent future exposure.
- Individuals working in restaurants during these dates should receive the Hepatitis A vaccine within 14 days of their last date of employment.
- Ask your healthcare provider if you need hepatitis A immune globulin (IG) in addition to the hepatitis A vaccine; some people may need both.
- If you have received the hepatitis A vaccine, you are already protected. You do not need any additional hepatitis A vaccines at this time.
Seek medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- feeling tired
- Low or no appetite
- stomachache
- nausea
- diarrhea
- dark urine
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- fever
- joint pain
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says symptoms begin 15 to 50 days after exposure to the hepatitis A virus.
You can find more information about hepatitis A here.