Hundreds get hepatitis A shots in Deaf Smith County
Associated Press
HEREFORD -- More than 1,600 people in Deaf Smith County received hepatitis A shots this week after health officials discovered several cases of the illness, including a fast-food restaurant employee. ADVERTISEMENT
State Health Department workers alerted the public and urged residents to get the vaccine if they had eaten at the Hereford restaurant on a few days in September, the Hereford Brand reported.
Health officials administered the immune globulin shots Wednesday and Thursday, which was the last day the vaccine would have been effective in preventing the illness, said Dr. Connie Lindley, an epidemiologist. Such shots must be given within 14 days of exposure, Lindley said.
Hepatitis A is generally spread when someone eats or drinks something contaminated by an infected person.
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort. Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes, may occur after symptoms appear. The incubation period can be anywhere between 15 to 50 days.
