Tag Archives: incubation period

Restaurant employee positive for Hepatitis A

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A worker at Cliffside Bistro tested positive for Hepatitis A in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

City News reports
Toronto Public Health said Monday that anyone who recently ate at a Scarborough restaurant may have been exposed to hepatitis A.
Health officials said an employee at Cliffside Bistro at 22-77 Kingston Rd. near Midland Avenue has tested positive for the illness.
Anyone who ate at the restaurant on July 21, between July 25-29 and between Aug. 2-4 may have been exposed.

The problem with Hep A is the long incubation period and symptoms may not appear until 14-28 days after exposure.

While the risk of infections is low, Toronto Public Health says they will be holding several free hepatitis A vaccination clinics at the Scarborough Civic Centre.
The clinics are open on Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hepatitis A can be spread by improper hand washing after using the washroom and the coming into contact with food. Common symptoms include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting, stomach pains and jaundice (yellowing of the skin).

 

Source of Hep A outbreak unknown

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I enjoy working in the field of public health, it’s challenging and exciting. I have had the opportunity to work with some incredible epidemiologists, public health inspectors, and public health nurses, the work they do is critical during outbreaks. I have had some experience dealing with foodborne outbreaks of Hepatitis A and due to its long incubation period, it’s a nightmare trying to get information from ill persons to identify a common source.

Outbreak News Today reports

In a follow-up on the hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego County, CA, the number of cases reported this year has climbed to 312, including 10 fatalities, according to latest health department data.
Of the cases, nearly seven out of 10 patients required hospitalization for their illness (215).
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency says the investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.
It has been challenging because of the long incubation period of the disease (15 to 50 days) and the difficulty experienced to contact many individuals sickened with the illness who are homeless and/or illicit drug users. To date, no common source of food, beverage, or other cause has been identified; as a result, the source of the outbreak remains undetermined.