Officials investigating possible hepatitis A exposure at Buffalo Wild Wings in Monterey Park

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Thursday, November 28, 2024
Possible hepatitis A exposure reported at SoCal Buffalo Wild Wings
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a warning Tuesday to Monterey Park residents after a Buffalo Wild Wings worker contracted hepatitis A.

MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a warning Tuesday to Monterey Park residents after a Buffalo Wild Wings worker contracted hepatitis A.

The health department said the employee works at the restaurant in the Monterey Park Marketplace shopping center just off the 60 Freeway.

Based on the worker's duties and symptoms, officials are recommending that anyone who consumed any food or drinks at the restaurant between Wednesday, Nov. 13 and Friday, Nov. 22, get the hepatitis A vaccine and keep an eye out for any symptoms.

If you develop symptoms, you're asked to call your health provider and ask for a hepatitis A test.

The health department said those who haven't gotten the hepatitis A vaccine or had a previous hepatitis A infection may not be protected from the virus. Vaccination isn't necessary for people who've already completed the hepatitis A vaccine series or are known to have a previous infection.

What is hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection that can range from a mild illness to a severe illness.

Symptoms include fever, weakness, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools, and diarrhea.

Although rare, hepatitis A can cause death in some people.

The health department said hepatitis A typically spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for hepatitis A.

"Vaccination is the best way to prevent disease," said the health department in a press release. "Infection can be prevented by vaccination after a known exposure to a person with infectious hepatitis A. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems might benefit from receiving immune globulin (IG) in addition to hepatitis A vaccination for prevention after an exposure. For any questions about hepatitis A or the need for immune globulin, Public Health recommends that you speak to your primary care provider."

If you have any questions, you can call the Public Health InfoLine at 1-833-540-0473, which is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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