Diners at a Milwaukee restaurant have been encouraged to receive the hepatitis A vaccine after being exposed to the virus by an infected employee.
A server who was actively contagious between October 31 and November 13 could have transmitted the virus if he had come into contact with diners’ food or water.
Beans & Barley restaurant is cooperating with the City of Milwaukee Health Department to notify approximately 80 people who may have been exposed in that period.
There is no risk to people who ate there before the 31st or after the 13th, and there is no indication that a Beans & Barley customer has been infected.
Jim Neumeyer, co-owner of the restaurant, explained that the worker, a food safety manager, did not prepare the food but sometimes delivered orders.
The employee left work after noticing symptoms, which may include fever, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine and hives, and notified superiors.
Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis said he is “very confident, based on the information we have, that the risk to the general public is very low.”
However, if people start to show symptoms, they should see a doctor, but if they have been vaccinated or have had the virus before, they cannot become infected again.
Most adults, teenagers and children become immune once they have received two doses of the vaccine, which together are at least 94 percent effective for several years, but unvaccinated people who fear they have been exposed should get vaccinated now.
Beans & Barley remains safe for customers and Milwaukee’s health department maintains the risk to the general public is low.
The health department organized an emergency vaccination campaign to ensure those 80 diners were up to date.
About half of those diners were already up to date on their vaccinations, according to the health department.
Dr. Totoraitis said, “We’re still working with the rest of the people there to make sure they are up to date on their hepatitis A vaccine or have had a previous infection.”
He and the department maintain the overall risk to the public is low.
He added: “We are still taking this situation seriously and acting quickly to prevent further spread.”
The vaccine effectively prevents infection for up to two weeks after the person has been exposed, meaning time is of the essence when it comes to checking on the other 50 diners who may not be up to date.
Those who are unsure of their vaccination status can check their vaccination records through the Wisconsin Immunization Registry online.
Mild cases of hepatitis A usually go away on their own without causing permanent damage. However, it could take up to six months for a person to start feeling better.
Health officials urge anyone who ate at the restaurant between October 31 and November 13 to get vaccinated against hepatitis A (file image)
But in extremely rare cases (about 0.02 per 100,000 people) the infection is fatal. This is more common in older people.
The CDC estimates that about 180,000 asymptomatic and symptomatic hepatitis A infections occur each year, of which approximately one-third affect children under 15 years of age.
In severe cases, hepatitis A can cause liver failure because it directly infects liver cells. Once there, the virus can damage those cells.
The resulting immune response can further damage those cells to large extents and cause inflammation in the liver.
When liver functions deteriorate, including its ability to produce proteins and process toxins, it can lead to bleeding, jaundice, and toxin buildup.
Barley & Beans is still open and the health department insists it is safe to eat there.
The restaurant has maintained an A rating from the health department for years.