Hepatitis A exposure warning at Oakland restaurant is second this week involving food service in central Maine
May 26—State health officials have issued the second warning this week about possible public exposure to hepatitis A involving food service in central Maine, this time in connection with an Oakland restaurant.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in a news release late Wednesday it had identified a case of acute hepatitis in a worker who handled food while infectious at the Waterville Country Club's Nineteen 16 Restaurant at 39 Country Club Road in Oakland. The possible public exposure occurred between April 26 and May 17, the CDC said, warning that anyone who purchased or ate food from the restaurant during that time period could be at risk for hepatitis A infection.
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that can spread through contaminated food or water.
The CDC further said there was no evidence linking the Oakland restaurant case to a recently confirmed case of hepatitis A involving a deli worker at the Skowhegan Walmart, who worked for two weeks this month while sick.
State health officials said people who are exposed to hepatitis A can avoid getting sick if they get a vaccine within 14 days of exposure. In the Oakland restaurant case, health officials recommended that people discard any leftover food they bought during the affected time period and to monitor for symptoms if they ate there. Symptoms include tiredness, low or no appetite, stomach pain, nausea and other signs.
"Hepatitis A can spread from person-to-person or through contaminated food or water, especially in food prepared by a person who is infected," the CDC said in the release. "Symptoms begin to show 15 — 50 days after exposure to the virus. An infected person can spread the virus to others about two weeks before symptoms begin and lasting until one week after symptoms begin."
