County links Hepatitis A case to restaurant
Angela Gonzales
The Business Journal
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health is linking a case of Hepatitis A to a Phoenix restaurant.
An employee of the Bamboo Grill restaurant at 3049 W. Agua Fria Freeway in Phoenix has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A. Now the county health department is investigating two other suspected cases among employees.
None of them are cooks and none have had direct contact with food, according to the county health department. It is unclear whether they were exposed to the disease by eating food together at the restaurant or elsewhere.
Anyone who ate at the restaurant in mid-December may have been exposed to the same food that sickened those three workers, county health officials said.
"Any person who ate at this restaurant in December and now has symptoms of Hepatitis A should see their health care provider and tell them about the exposure," said Dr. Bob England, medical director for Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
Hepatitis A is a viral illness that affects the liver. It is spread by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with stool from an infected person, such as someone not using proper hand-washing technique.
Symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, dark-colored urine, light or whitish-colored bowel movements, and jaundice -- a yellow color to skin or eyes. Symptoms usually develop about a month after exposure to the virus, but can appear anywhere from 15 to 50 days after exposure.
The illness can last for several weeks or months and cause severe symptoms, but people generally recover completely. Hepatitis A can be life threatening in the elderly or those with chronic liver disease. Hepatitis A can be prevented by a vaccine or the administration of immune globulin, an injection that can prevent the disease, but this must be given within two weeks of exposure.
England said there is no indication that these workers handled or contaminated food.
"With all the information we have available, we think the public's risk of exposure is low," he said. "Nevertheless, any person who ate at this restaurant from January 13 to January 20 may also ask their health care provider about the extra measure of safety of receiving immune globulin (IG) and Hepatitis A vaccine."
The Bamboo Grill Restaurant has been inspected by a sanitarian with Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, following the Hepatitis A case report. The recent inspection conducted on Jan. 14 and the prior regular inspection by the department on Dec. 19, 2005, both concluded with a satisfactory review for the establishment.
As a result of these inspections, the restaurant was granted a Silver Award per the Environmental Health recognition program.
"The restaurant owner is cooperating with the department and taking the proper measures to ensure no further exposures will occur," said David Ludwig, division manager of Environmental Health for Maricopa County's Environmental Services Department.
To limit the spread of Hepatitis A, and many other diseases, health officials recommend washing hands thoroughly after using the toilet or changing diapers; washing hands thoroughly before eating, touching or preparing food; and staying home if you're not feeling well.
