A food worker has been diagnosed with hepatitis A at the KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) restaurant at 122 Lafayette Avenue in Moundsville, West Virginia. No illnesses have. been reported to officials. That person worked at the restaurant between July 22 and August 5, 2019.
That means that anyone who ate food or drank beverages there during that time frame may have been exposed to the virus. The risk of transmission is low, but customers should get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination.
Unfortunately, those vaccines are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. Anyone who ate at the KFC in Moundsville, West Virginia After July 30, 2019 is past the two week window, and they should monitor their health for the symptoms of hepatitis A. People who are infected with this pathogenic virus are contagious two weeks before symptoms even appear.
Those symptoms of hepatitis A include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or discomfort in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, clay colored stool, dark urine, loss of appetite, low grade fever, joint pain, and yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice). Anyone experiencing those symptoms should see their doctor. Hepatitis A is a reportable illness.
The Marshall County Health Department has reviewed the restaurant’s food handling practices and did not find a need for any action beyond telling the employees about the incident. The restaurant is safe to visit.
The best way to prevent hepatitis A transmission is to get vaccinated. Anyone who works with the public should consider getting a vaccine. In addition, always make sure that you wash your hands well with soap and water after using the bathroom, before preparing and serving food, and after changing diapers or taking care of someone who is sick. Stay home from work or school if you are sick, especially with a diarrheal illness.
