Hepatitis A in a Food Handler Who
Served Persons From Multiple States
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) has recently been notified that an employee of a single Jamba
Juice store in San Jose, California was recently diagnosed with hepatitis A.
The food service worker also assisted with the preparation of fresh fruit
smoothies for distribution at the booth of an exhibitor (JumpSport) at the 43rd
Annual USA Gymnastics (USAG) National Congress and Trade Show held in
conjunction with the 2007 Gymnastics National Championships, in San Jose, California. Attendees at the trade show and gymnastics competition were from a
number of states and have since returned home.
Because it is likely the employee
followed good hand hygiene and food safety practices, the risk of exposure is
small. However, persons exposed in the last 14 days can reduce their risk.
Persons who may have been exposed include:
Persons who ate or drank
at the 1140 Lincoln Avenue San Jose, CA Jamba Juice on August 1-3, 6-9, 11, 13
and 15-16.
Persons who drank fruit
smoothies distributed from the JumpSport booth at the USAG trade show on August
16 and 17th.
People who have had a hepatitis A vaccine or
have had the illness in the past, are protected from hepatitis A infection. CDC
recommends that persons who are not protected and are within 14 days of
exposure contact their medical provider or their state or local health
department to receive a dose of single antigen hepatitis A vaccine or immune
globulin (IG).
Healthy
persons between the ages of 12 months and 40 years can receive single antigen
hepatitis A vaccine or IG.
For persons over the age
of 40 years, IG is preferred. Vaccine can be used if IG cannot be obtained.
IG should be used for
children under the age of 12 months, immune compromised persons, persons who
have been diagnosed with chronic liver disease, and persons for whom vaccine is
contraindicated.
In persons exposed more than 14 days ago, vaccine or IG
treatment will not prevent the illness. Those persons should watch for
symptoms of hepatitis A and practice good hygiene, including frequent hand
washing with soap and water.
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the
hepatitis A virus. Symptoms usually occur abruptly and include fatigue,
abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or
eyes), and diarrhea. Symptoms
usually last less than two months; but some people may be ill for as long as
six months. The average time from exposure to symptoms is 28 days, but can
range from 15–50 days. Good personal hygiene,
including frequent hand washing with soap and water is very important in
preventing the spread of hepatitis A. If you experience symptoms,
please contact your health care provider.
People seeking medical care related to possible
exposure can contact Jamba Juice to learn about their reimbursement policy for
related medical expenses and obtain a reimbursement form by calling
1-877-217-4780.
More information about hepatitis A is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/
or by calling the CDC information line at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).
