Chipolte Cyclists More Important Than Victims Of Hepatitis A To Its Hometown Newspaper

Denver is the hometown of Chipotle Mexican Grill.   So,  we are not surprised with the "homer" coverage the fast food chain is getting from Joyselle Davis, a business writer at the Rocky Mountain News.

Within the same news cycle that Terry Wesley sued Chipotle for giving him Hepatitis A from eating at the Mexican fast food chain's outlet on Fletcher Parkway in Le Mesa,  Ms. Davis writes a glowing story entitled "Chipotle rides onto a bigger stage."  In it she makes no mention of the fact that Chipolte's Kent, Ohio outlet has spread norovirus to more than 400 while the Le Mesa, CA Chipolte is serving up Hepatitus A to 21 confirmed cases so far.

Instead,  "The Rocky" has a just "slap your leg" with laughs story about how the European riders on the new "Slipstream-Chipotle" cycling team call burritos "bread."   Wow, is that funny or what?

The serious part of the story, the part that could have just as well been written by the burrito peddlers public relations department, was this:

For co-sponsor Chipotle Mexican Grill, which prides itself on using only hormone- and antibiotic-free meat, the marketing deal gives the restaurant chain a vehicle to take its additive-free ethos to the world stage.

"This is a team that's very vigorous about their drug testing and keeping their bodies clean, and that's very much our philosophy," said Jim Adams, Chipotle's executive marketing director.

Excuse us for being picky, but we are far more concerned about a restaurant chain being "pathogen free" than we are about its ethos or its cycling team.   Chipotle is making people sick.  Its customers would also like to be "drug free," but they all have to get well before that's going to happen.

Writing about Hepatitis A, the viral infection that attacks the liver and is spread by fecal contamination of water or food, isn't as much fun as those colorful new bike uniforms "The Rocky" is so excited about.  Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, fever, fatigue, dark urine and jaundice.

But that's path Terry Wesley has been forced to take by Chipolte.  Its a far  tougher ride.  Its the one "The Rocky" apparently does not want to hear, see, or talk about.

Looks Like It Was Chipotle Customers Making Other Customers Sick With Hepatitis A

You are looking at the inside of a typical Chipotle Mexican Grill.   It's a very clean-looking environment.   It's always a function of local management if the interior is really kept clean and the service running smoothly.   To be honest, we don't dine at Chipotles because we don't like standing in lines period, and these places are usually so popular that there lines are long.

Well, if you assume that the Health Department has actually tested all employees (not likely) and that the food (as in many earlier Hepatitis A outbreaks) was not contaminated, then is it possible that customers who were in those lines at the La Mesa, CA Chipotle restaurant came into contact with someone or someones who were carriers of Hepatitis A as the disease has spread to at least 18 other people?  We at Hepatitis Blog have not found such an outbreak in our research.  So, anyone who dined there between March 1 and April 22 are being told by health officials to seek a medical checkup.

Hepatitis A is commonly transmitted when an object contaminated with the stool of someone with hepatitis A comes in contact with another person’s mouth. Exposure also can occur when an individual consumes food or water contaminated with the Hepatitis A virus, according to the health department.  Symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, fatigue, nausea and jaundice.

Chipotle is also dealing with a norovirus outbreak at one of its Ohio restaurants.

Hepatitis A Outbreak At Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill is experiencing its second outbreak of the week, this one at La Mesa, CA involving Hepatitis A.   Fox 6 News reports:

The San Diego Health and Human Services Agency and County Department of Environmental Health are investigating six cases of Hepatitis A linked to a La Mesa Chipotle restaurant.

The county is recommending individuals who dined at the restaurant between March and April 22, 2008, and may see symptoms of Hepatitis A, to see their physicians for screenings.


Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable illness, according to health officers, and the public is urged to talk to their physicians about getting vaccinated

The other Chipotle outbreak has made more than 400 people sick in Kent, Ohio.  Go here for more on the Southern California outbreak.

Common Misspellings of Hepatitis A - hepatitus a, hepititis a, hepatitis e, hepetitis a, hepatatis a, hepatitisa, hepatits a, hepatites a, hepaititis a, epatitis a

Hepatitis A is one of five human hepatitis viruses (hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E) that primarily infect the liver and cause illness. An estimated 80,000 cases occur each year in the U.S., although much higher estimates have been proposed based on mathematical modeling of the past incidence of infection. Each year, an estimated 100 persons die as a result of acute liver failure in the U.S. due to hepatitis A, but the rate of infection has dramatically decreased since the hepatitis A vaccine was licensed and became available in the U.S. in 1995.

Want To Prevent Hepatitis A Outbreak? STAY HOME!

Contamination of food by an infected food worker is the most common mode of transmission of hepatitis A in food borne disease outbreaks (Guzewich 1999). A review of food-borne Hepatitis A outbreaks in the United States found that in many cases the infected food handler either did not seek medical care or delayed getting medical care (Fiore 2004).

So says Dr. Rajiv Bhatia, Director, Occupational and Environmental Health of the San Francisco Department of Public Health.  That's just a taste of a long article by Dr. Bhatia on the California Progress Report, in which he makes the case that paid sick days are the key to cutting down on food borne illnesses like hepatitis A.

Two years ago, San Francisco began the first city in America to require all employers to provide for paid sick days.  Now the California Assembly is considering imposing the same requirement statewide.

Dr. Bhatia says paid sick days pay positive dividends in the following areas: Avoiding transmission of infectious disease in communities;  Preventing food borne illness;Reducing expensive hospital care; Providing essential care for family members and dependents;and Addressing health disparities.  He says:

For occupations such as health care workers, child care providers, and food service workers, it is critical to keep sick workers out of the workplace.

See Dr. Bhatia's entire article here.



A Look At Two States Handling Hepatitis A Threats

We spend a lot of time observing how various state, regional and local health districts handle the challenge of an outbreak, or the potential for one.  

We see the Idaho Central Health District has pretty well put away the threat that one restaurant worker caused at Boise's Red Feather Lounge by working with Hepatitis A.  Here's what that Idaho agency told the public:

It has now been two weeks since the Red Feather Lounge employee with hepatitis A last worked at the establishment. Anyone potentially exposed to the disease between March 5th and 17th will no longer be eligible for a vaccination because it would not be effective. From March 25th through March 31st Central District Health Department (CDHD) provided hepatitis A vaccinations to 283 people. Everyone potentially exposed should continue to wash their hands thoroughly, since receiving hepatitis A vaccine after a potential exposure is not 100% effective prevention. CDHD reminds those that have not been vaccinated or have not been previously infected to watch for signs of hepatitis A infection. CDHD still maintains that the chance of infection is low, but patrons should be aware of the following information.

It goes on to provide excellent write-ups on symptoms, incubation, treatment, and statistics.  Go here for all of that.

As that ends in Idaho,  the Lafayette, Louisiana Parish Schools is confronting the same problem as one of its employees continued working after contracting Hepatitis A.   KLFY-TV 10 is reporting that vaccinations will be available on Wednesday April 9th at these three sites: Acadian Middle, NP Moss at Good Hope Baptist and NP Moss Annex.  The vaccines are free of charge for all students and faculty attending those schools

KLFY-TV 10 reports:

Hepatitis A is serious contagious liver disease. Now hundreds of students in Lafayette are exposed to it.

We will see how Louisiana handles it.  At this point, we haven't seen any involvement by either the state or the Region 4 Health District.   Maybe they just leave it to the Parish Schools.

PF Chang's Worker May Have Spread Hepatitis A

Anyone who consumed ice, beverages with ice, ice cream or lemons at the PF Chang's in West Chester, Ohio anytime between March 14 and 25 should see their doctor immediately.

A restaurant worker with Hepatitis A was on the job then, putting everyone consuming one of those items in danger, according to the Butler County Health Department.  The Kypost reports tonight (3/28/08) on the alert about the Hepatitis scare.

Go here for that report.

Trendy Boise Nightspot May Be Spreading Hepatitis A

Dozens of people are showing up at the Central Health District in Boise, ID for shots, either vaccines or immune globulin.   All are patrons of the Red Feather Lounge, a trendy spot in downtown Boise, and they were served in the establishment sometime between March 5 and 17 when they might have been served by a restaurant worker who was contaminated with Hepatitis A.

The online Argus Observer reports that:

While the risk to the public is low, lounge patrons possibly could have been exposed, David Fotsch, public information officer for the Central District Health Department, said in an announcement released Tuesday. Central and Southwest District health departments are recommending people not immune to hepatitis A who had food or a drink at the Red Feather Lounge during the specified dates receive hepatitis A vaccines or immune globulin immediately. They should also contact their health provider if they are showing any symptoms of hepatitis, Fotsch said.

For more from the Argus, go here.

North Dakota Requires Hep A Vaccine

On April 1st,  North Dakota will require children in daycare to have vaccines for Hepatitis A, Pneumococcal, and Rotavirus.

KFYR-TV took a look at how its going with the deadline fast approaching.  The Bismark station reports:

"Well most of the kids have the pneumonia one, some of the small ones have the Hepatitis A one, but very few have the rotavirus one," says Renae Vilhauer, of King`s Kids Daycare.

Bismarck-Bureleigh Public Health says that`s because the rotavirus vaccine has only been available for two years. It must be given to a child by the time he or she is eight months old, meaning a child who is three has never, and will never get the chance to receive the immunization.

The State Health Department says it`s up to the daycare to enforce the immunization deadline.

Vilhauer told KFYR-TV that although the immunizations will be required by the state, asking, instead of ordering, parents to immunize their children is really all that can be done. 

Check here for the complete story on KFYR-TV.


Demi Moore Bash Turns Bust As Hepatitis A Gets Served

Ok, this is a familar story.  Only because the names of some of the people involved has an Hepatitis A scare turned into a national story. 

It seems movie star Demi Moore threw a party for her boyfriend, Ashton Kutcher, on Feb 7th at a Manhattan bar called Socialista.  The guest list included the likes of MADONNA, BRUCE WILLIS and GWYNETH PALTROW.

Trouble is New York City health officials says anyone who went to the Socialista after 8 p.m.on Thursday February 7th or Friday February 8th, or after 10 p.m. Monday, February 11th is at risk because a bartender working there has active case of Hepatitus A.

Anyone who might have been exposed to him should be vaccinated to keep from developing the disease.

NY1 News reports that:

Symptoms of hepatitis A include fatigue, poor appetite, fever, and vomiting. Some people may have darker urine or jaundice, which is a yellowish tinge to the skin.

As many as 700-800 people may have visited the bar during those dates and times. People who may have been exposed but have already had two doses of hepatitis A vaccine at some point in their life do not need another shot. But health officials say everyone else should be vaccinated.

The Health Department will provide free shots at P.S. 41 elementary school on 116 West 11th Street at Sixth Avenue for people who may have been exposed at the following times: Friday, February 22 from 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.; Saturday, February 23 from 1 p.m. - 8 p.m. ;and Sunday, February 24 from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Go here for more from NY1 News.  Oh, and don't expect to see Demi or any of her pals in line for the shots.  Doctors do still make house calls for the rich and famous.

 

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