LEWISTON (WGME) – The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says people who dined at a restaurant in Lewiston may have been exposed to hepatitis A.
Hepatitis A is an infectious liver disease. It can be spread through person-to-person contact or by consuming contaminated food or water.
According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a food service worker at Marco’s Italian Restaurant on Morrison Road worked during the period of infection, which were September 11, 13, 15-16, 18, 20-22, 25th and 27-28th.
Anyone who purchases and/or consumes food or drink from this restaurant during these days may be at risk of contracting hepatitis A.
According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an infected person can spread the virus to others about two weeks before to a week after the onset of symptoms.
You can prevent hepatitis A infection with a vaccine. People who have been exposed to hepatitis A can avoid getting sick if they get vaccinated within 14 days of exposure.
If you think you have been exposed and may need a vaccine, please contact your health care provider.
The hepatitis A vaccine is available to anyone without health insurance at certain facilities in Maine.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says symptoms of hepatitis A include:
- feeling tired
- Low or no appetite
- stomachache
- nausea
- diarrhea
- dark urine
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- fever
- joint pain
According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms begin 15-50 days after exposure to the virus and can range from mild to severe. People who are very sick may need to go to the hospital, and their symptoms may last for several months. Most children under 6 years of age have mild or no symptoms.
Hepatitis A cases in Maine have remained elevated since an initial increase in 2019, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.