Larimar County Health Department is warning consumers who ate or drank at Tortilla Marissa’s North of the Border Café at 2635 S. College Avenue in Fort Collins, Colorado, that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A. A food handler has been confirmed with the illness. That person worked at the restaurant while they were infectious.
Hepatitis A is a disease that affects the liver. Anyone who ate at the restaurant during the last 14 days should get a hepatitis A or immunoglobulin vaccination immediately. The shot must be given within 14 days of exposure to be effective.
The Health Department will be conducting free hepatitis A shot clinics for anyone who ate at the restaurant in the last two weeks. They will be held Sunday June 29, 2014 from 12:00 to 5:00 pm, and on Monday June 30, 2014, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Go to the Health Department at 1525 Blue Spruce in Fort Collins.
If you can, pre-register for the clinic. You can visit www.larimer.org on Saturday, June 28, 2014 after noon. This will significantly reduce your wait time. Some pharmacies and clinics offer the vaccines also. Walgreens, Safeway, King Soopers, Take Care and A Little Clinic have the vaccinations available. For more information, call 498-6706.
Hepatitis A can cause a mild illness or a more serious condition. Some people can be sick for months with this infection. It is spread when a person ingests fecal matter, even in microscopic amounts, from food or drinks or contact with an infected person.
If you have had hepatitis A in the past or have had a vaccination, you should be protected. Please contact your health care provider if you’re not sure. The symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, jaundice, and joint pain.
