3 students at school in Cranford get hepatitis A
Officials seek source of contamination
Thursday, May 11, 2006
BY ROBERT E. MISSECK
Star-Ledger Staff
At least three students at an elementary school in Cranford have recently been infected with the hepatitis A virus, and health officials said yesterday they have not yet determined the source of the contamination.
All of the students are 11-year-old female fifth-graders at the Orange Avenue School who be came ill last week, according to School Superintendent Lawrence Feinsod.
"We also have possibly one other unconfirmed case, a boy, at the same school," he said.
"Thank God it's hepatitis A, which is the least serious of the hepatitis viruses," Feinsod said
Township Health Officer Warren Hehl, who is investigating the cases, described the infection as "more of a hiccup than an outbreak."
Hehl said hepatitis A -- a mild infection of the liver -- is spread by the ingestion of fecal-contaminated food or water.
There is no medical treatment for the infection, and being stricken with hepatitis A will not cause any permanent injuries, according to Hehl.
"It just has to run its course, which is about two weeks," he said.
On Monday, Orange School Principal Kathleen Gorski sent a letter to the parents of her 600 stu dents informing them of the situation and explaining how to prevent their children from becoming in fected.
"The key to prevention is good hygiene and thorough hand washing after using the toilet and before preparing and eating food," said Gorski, who added that the school nurse remains in close contact with Hehl's office on the situation.
Orange School PTA President Diana Kaskiw declined comment on the principal's letter.
Feinsod said the school is operating normally while health officials try to determine the origin of the infection.
Feinsod said contamination through the handling of food in the school's cafeteria has been effectively ruled out because all of the victims are from the same grade.
"Had it come from the cafeteria, the contamination would have been more widespread throughout the school," Feinsod explained.
Hehl said that trying to track down the source of the contamination has proven to be a difficult task.
"The problem so far is we can't tie all three girls to the same place at the same time, or find a common source for all three," he said.
Hehl said though the girls are in the same school, they "are from different classrooms and not all three have the same sports activities."
According to the Centers for Disease Control Web site, hepatitis A can affect anyone and "can occur in situations ranging from isolated cases of the disease to widespread epidemics."
Hehl said there have been "no outbreaks of hepatitis A anywhere else in the state, nor the county of Union."
Robert E. Misseck covers Union County. He can be reached at rmis seck@starledger.com or (908) 302-1507.
