South Australian restaurant worker has hepatitis A

A worker at the Yakatori Takumi restaurant in North Adelaide has tested positive to hepatitis A, potentially exposing diners to the disease.

Health officials said they believed the worker picked up the infection while overseas.

Chief Medical Officer Paddy Phillips said the risk to customers was considered low, adding, "However, it is possible that patrons who ate at the restaurant between September 21 and October 4 may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus. An alert has been issued to all GPs to be aware of the case and to arrange for appropriate testing for any patients presenting with possible hepatitis A infection."

Hepatitis vaccinations urged for patrons of Pennsylvania restaurant

An employee of the Pasta Alla Rosa Restaurant in Allentown has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A, the city Health Bureau said Friday, as it urged anyone who has eaten at the restaurant in the past two weeks to get vaccinations if they don’t already have them.

The Pasta Alla Rosa worker had limited food handling duties, but the Health Bureau said it wants to be careful with patrons who ate at the 602 Hamilton St. restaurant between Sept. 23 and Friday, the worker’s infectious period.

Pasta Alla Rosa customers should get a vaccination if they’re 1 to 40 years old, or immune globulin if they’re older, the Health Bureau said. No action is needed by those already vaccinated against Hepatitis A.

The Health Bureau will make the Heptatis A vaccination available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday with a walk-in clinic at 245 N. Sixth St., Allentown. The immune globulin will be offered to those over 40 as soon as the bureau obtains a supply through the state Department of Health.

59 sickened: Hepatitis A associated with semidried tomatoes imported from Turkey, processed, served in France, 2010

In January 2010, two clusters of nontraveler-associated hepatitis A were reported in 3 districts of southwestern France.

Gallot et al. report in Emerging Infectious Disease that a single IB strain of hepatitis A virus (HAV) was isolated (FR-2010-LOUR, GenBank accession no. GU646039). We conducted an investigation to describe the outbreak, identify the vehicle of transmission and source of infection, and propose appropriate control measures.

Cases were identified through mandatory notification or through the National Reference Centre for HAV. A total of 59 cases were identified: 49 confirmed cases (resident of France and infected with the outbreak strain) and 10 probable cases (resident of southwestern France and with a locally acquired infection positive for HAV immunoglobulin M against HAV with onset during November 1, 2009–February 28, 2010). Twelve (20%) persons were secondary case-patients (symptom onset 2–6 weeks after contact with a case-patient).

Trace-back investigations identified a supplier in France that imported frozen semidried tomatoes from Turkey and supplied the 3 sandwich shop chains. In France, the frozen semidried tomatoes were defrosted and processed with oil and herbs before distribution. No heat treatment, disinfection, or washing was conducted after defrosting. The period of distribution of 1 batch matched the estimated period of contamination of nonsecondary cases. This batch was no longer available at the supplier or at the sandwich shops for virologic analysis or for recall.

Our results suggest that this nationwide hepatitis A outbreak was associated with eating 1 batch of semidried tomatoes imported from Turkey and processed in France. Infected food handlers are the most frequently documented source of contamination by HAV of food items, but food also can be contaminated by contact of products or machinery with contaminated water. Therefore, the tomatoes may have been contaminated during processing by the supplier in France, during production in Turkey, or during growing. Fecal contamination of foods that are not subsequently cooked is a potential source of HAV, and the virus remains infectious for long periods, even after freezing. Various fresh or frozen produce have been associated with hepatitis A outbreaks.

Recently, three other hepatitis A outbreaks were associated with eating semidried tomatoes: in Australia in May and November 2009 and in the Netherlands in 2010

Patrick Elias recovered nicely from 2005 Hep A illness, scores goal in 2011 NHL All-Star game

The NHL All-Star game is usually a goalie nightmare with no backchecking, multiple odd-man rushes and a bunch of goals. The 2011 game, being played right now here in Raleigh is no different. The score currently sits at 10-9 (but will probably be higher before I finish this post).

I took in a bunch of the festivities this weekend including last night’s skills competition, and the fanfest (which Jack loved).

One of the current all-stars, Patrick Elias of the New Jersey Devils has a personal food safety link. In 2005 while playing in Russia (during the NHL lockout season), Elias contracted Hep A that resulted in a 20-day hospital stay, a loss of 30 lbs and he missed a portion of the following season.

Check out one of the old school (and not very effective as I found out) infosheets detailing Elias’ illness.

 

Canadian Walmart deli worker with hepatitis A; immunizations to employees and public

A deli worker in a Duncan, B.C. Walmart (that’s in Canada) has tested positive for hepatitis A so the local health types are offering hepatitis A immunizations “to eligible members of the general public who have consumed certain deli products from the delicatessen in the Duncan Walmart.

The Vancouver Island Health Authority recommends members of the public who consumed ready-to-eat food, including sliced meat and cheese, from the delicatessen at the store between December 30, 2010 and January 4, 2011, or consumed meat or cheese sliced at the deli counter from January 5 to January 10, 2011 should receive hepatitis A vaccine as a precaution. Individuals who ate or purchased deli items after this time period are not at risk of contracting the disease.

This alert DOES NOT (sic) apply to produce or other foods purchased from the grocery department or to foods from the McDonalds restaurant located in the Walmart.

I don’t know why the press release writers think putting words in all caps will make readers pay double super-secret attention to the warning.
 

Who didn’t wash their hands while preparing communion in NY?

Hepatitis A is one of those human-only diseases that spreads when virus particles are shed in poop, and get into dirty water, or onto hands that are not effectively washed.

Health officials on Long Island say hundreds of people may have been exposed to hepatitis A while receiving communion on Christmas Day.

The Nassau County Health Department said Monday that anyone who received communion at either the 10:30 a.m. or noon Masses at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Massapequa Park on Dec. 25 may have been exposed.

A spokesman declined to provide details, citing privacy concerns.

Do you like Jerry’s Deli in LA? Employee found with hepatitis A

An employee at Jerry’s Deli in Westwood, part of Los Angeles, has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.

Customers who ate sandwiches at the popular eatery near UCLA on Nov. 18, 21, 23 or 24 are urged to receive an immune globulin shot or a hepatitis A vaccine shot no later than 14 days from the date they visited the deli, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in an alert issued Wednesday evening.
 

Burger King employee diagnosed with hepatitis A

There’s been a few cases of hepatitis A showing up in the Ashland, Kentucky area over the past few days.

Today, investigators think they’ve indentified the source: a food service worker at Burger King who had to not only test positive, but have poop on his hands to transmit the virus.

WSAZ reports the Ashland-Boyd County Health Department has confirmed the employee worked the drive-thru window during the week of November 7 and the dates of November 15 and 17. The employee’s contact with patrons was limited to the drive-thru window, so patrons who ate inside the restaurant were not at risk of exposure. Since the employee was not involved in food preparation, the risk of becoming ill is low.

The employee was a close contact of a previously identified case of Hepatitis A.

So far all of the cases in Boyd County are linked to close contacts of earlier cases. No cases associated only with consuming food items from the restaurant have been identified as of Tuesday, November 23.
 

Hepatitis scare at Alberta McDonald’s

As I told my daughter before she went on a high school graduation party in the Dominican Republic, get vaccinated for hepatitis A.

Alberta Health Services issued a release earlier today reporting an employee from the Scenic Drive McDonald’s downtown in Lethbridge, Alberta (that’s in Canada) has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.

Anyone who ate there 20–22 August 2010 may have been exposed and should see his/her physician.

Alberta Health Services will be offering vaccine through clinics at the West Pavilion of Exhibition Park today from 1:30–19:00, tomorrow from 9:00–15:00, and Sunday from 9:00–15:00. The vaccine is effective if administered within 14 days of exposure only.

Alberta Health Services believes the employee contracted the disease while travelling abroad.

Always fresh, never frozen: hepatitis A in Wendy’s employee

Toronto Public Health has identified a case of Hepatitis A in an employee at a Wendy’s restaurant located at 438 Nugget Avenue in Scarborough. Anyone who consumed food purchased at this restaurant between July 26 and August 6 may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus. The risk of getting the infection is very low.

Depends on how well the employee washed his or her hands and whether they were prepping salads or other fresh product. Don’t eat poop.