The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is warning of a possible Hepatitis A (Hep A) exposure after an employee of the Flash Market/Subway, located at 105 North Missouri Avenue in Corning tested positive for the virus. Hep A is a contagious liver disease.
Anyone who ate at this facility between March 30 and April 17 should seek care immediately if they have never been vaccinated against Hep A or are unsure of their vaccine status. There are no specific treatments once a person gets Hep A; however, illness can be prevented even after exposure by getting the vaccine or with a medicine called immune globulin. This medicine contains antibodies from other people who are immune to Hep A and works best if given within two weeks of exposure to the virus.
Anyone who ate at this location and does not live in the area should contact their LHU or their healthcare provider.
Hep A is usually spread when a person ingests tiny amounts of feces from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Hep A can also be spread through unprotected sex or sharing of injection drugs.
So far this year, 12 cases of Hep A have been reported in Clay County. Because four of the cases have involved food service workers, the ADH recommends that all food service workers in Clay County be vaccinated. The ADH has been working with local restaurants and food service facilities on this vaccination effort.
“This rise in cases is concerning,” said Dr. Dirk Haselow, state epidemiologist. “We are encouraging everyone in the county and surrounding areas to be aware of the risk factors for getting Hep A. If you are engaged in any of these risky behaviors, please get vaccinated. If you experience symptoms, visit your healthcare provider.”
Typical symptoms of Hep A include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Hep A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis A virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. A person can transmit the virus to others up to two weeks before and one week after symptoms appear.
The virus can cause illness anytime from two to seven weeks after exposure. If infected, most people will develop symptoms three to four weeks after exposure. Many people, especially children, may have no symptoms. The older a person is when they get Hep A, typically the more severe symptoms they have. Up to one in three adults are typically hospitalized. Almost all people who get Hep A recover completely and do not have any lasting liver damage, although they may feel sick for months. All 12 of the current cases have been in adults.
Hepatitis A is preventable through vaccination. Hepatitis A vaccine has been recommended for school children for many years, and one dose of Hep A vaccine is required for entry into kindergarten and first grade as of 2014. Most adults are likely not vaccinated, but may have been if they received vaccinations prior to traveling internationally.