HEPATITIS A CASE
CONFIRMED IN EMPLOYEE AT WENDY’S RESTAURANT IN GRANT COUNTY
INDIANAPOLIS---State and local health officials say that one case of
hepatitis A has been confirmed in an employee who has worked at the
Wendy’s restaurant at 1410 South Western Avenue, near State Road 9 and
State Road 15 (in front of Hobby Lobby) on the bypass, in Marion, Indiana.
Health officials warn that people who ate at this Wendy’s restaurant from
July 13 through July 27 may be at risk of developing hepatitis A and
should receive a dose of immune globulin (also called gamma globulin).
Immune globulin (IgG) provides temporary immunity to hepatitis A and may
prevent illness in people who have been exposed in the last 14 days.
Large quantities of immune globulin have been ordered by the State
Department of Health, and a clinic will be set up in the next several days
in Grant County to provide immune globulin (IgG) free of charge to the
affected patrons of the restaurant. Details on the clinic will be
released as soon as they are available.
In the meantime, patrons who ate at the restaurant between July 13 and
July 27 may also be able to obtain immune globulin from their health care
provider and should watch for symptoms that may develop (since IgG
immunity is effective only for the previous 14 days of exposure). Anyone
who patronized the restaurant in the days just prior to July 13 could get
Hepatitis A, but should not receive immune globulin because it is not
effective for exposure past 14 days. Those individuals should seek
medical attention if they show symptoms of the disease.
People who have patronized this restaurant who develop the following
symptoms within the next 50 days should consult their health care
provider: fatigue, poor appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, mild fever, yellowing of the skin or whites of eyes (jaundice),
dark urine, and pale-colored stool.
Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that inflames the liver. Symptoms
usually appear two to seven weeks after exposure. Not all infected
persons will have all of these symptoms, and some—especially children—may
have no symptoms.
In addition to receiving IgG and watching for symptoms, persons who were
possibly exposed to hepatitis A at the Wendy’s restaurant are strongly
encouraged to pay special attention to handwashing. To contract hepatitis
A, fecal material from an infected person must be swallowed by someone who
has never had the disease. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to wash
hands thoroughly after using the restroom or changing diapers, and before
eating or preparing food. Handwashing should include vigorous soaping of
all parts of the hands, especially between fingers and under fingernails.
MEDIA UPDATE:
HEPATITIS A SITUATION IN GRANT COUNTY
INDIANAPOLIS---The Grant County Health Department and the Indiana State
Department of Health will open a two-day clinic tomorrow afternoon at the
4-H Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds for patrons of the Wendy's
restaurant at 1410 South Western Avenue in Marion who may have been
exposed to hepatitis A since July 13.
Health officials warn that people who patronized this Wendy's restaurant
(located at State Road 15 in front of Hobby Lobby) from July 13 through
July 27 may be at risk of developing hepatitis A and should receive a dose
of immune globulin (also called gamma globulin). Immune globulin (IgG)
provides temporary immunity to hepatitis A and may prevent illness in
people who have been exposed in the last 14 days.
The clinic will provide immune globulin free of charge to the affected
patrons of this Wendy's restaurant at the 4-H Building at the Grant County
Fairgrounds, at 1403 East State Road 18, on the following dates/times:
* Thursday, July 29, from noon to 8:00 p.m.
* Friday, July 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The State Department of Health has ordered 6,000 doses of immune globulin
for the clinic.
Anyone who patronized the restaurant in the days just prior to July 13 may
be at risk for Hepatitis A, but should not receive immune globulin because
it is not effective for exposure past 14 days. Those individuals should
seek medical attention if they show symptoms of the disease.
