Diners exposed to hepatitis A after restaurant employee tests positive for virus

Diners at a Milwaukee restaurant have been encouraged to receive a hepatitis A vaccine after being exposed to the virus by an infected employee.

A waiter who was actively infectious between October 31 and November 13 could have transmitted the virus if they came into contact with the diners’ food or water.

The restaurant, Beans & Barley, is cooperating with the City of Milwaukee Health Department to notify the roughly 80 individuals who may have been exposed in that timeframe.

There is no risk to individuals who ate there before the 31st or after the 13th, and no indication that a patron of Beans & Barley has been infected. 

Jim Neumeyer, co-owner of the restaurant, explained that the worker, a food safety manager, did not prepare food but would sometimes hand out orders.

The employee left work after noticing symptoms, which can include fever, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, and hives, and notified their superiors.

Milwaukee’s Commissioner of Health, Mike Totoraitis, said he is ‘very confident based on the information that we have that the risk to the general public is very low.’

However, if people begin showing symptoms, they should see a doctor, but if they have been vaccinated or have had the virus previously, they can’t be infected again.    

Most adults, teens, and children become immune once they’ve gotten two doses of the vaccine, which are together at least 94 percent effective for several years, but unvaccinated people who fear they were exposed should get a vaccine now. 

The health department erected an emergency vaccination drive to ensure those 80 diners are current.

Around half of those diners were already up-to-date on their shots, according to the health department.

Dr Totoraitis said: ‘We’re still working through the rest of the folks there to ensure that they were either up-to-date on the Hepatitis A vaccine or had prior infection.’

He and the department maintain the general risk to the public is low. 

He added: ‘We are still taking this situation seriously and acting swiftly to prevent further spread.’

The vaccine effectively prevents infection up to two weeks after the person is exposed, meaning time is of the essence when it comes to checking on the roughly 50 other diners who may not be up to date.

Those unsure of their vaccination status can check their immunization records through the Wisconsin Immunization Registry online.

Mild cases of hepatitis A generally go away on their own with no permanent damage. However, it could take up to six months for the person to start feeling better.

Health officials are urging anyone who ate at the restaurant between October 31 and November 13 to go get vaccinated against hepatitis A (stock image)

But in extremely rare cases – around 0.02 per 100,000 people – the infection is fatal. This is more commonplace in seniors.

The CDC estimates that around 180,000 asymptomatic and symptomatic hepatitis A infections occur each year, with approximately one-third involving children under 15 years of age. 

In a severe case, hepatitis A can lead to liver failure because it directly infects liver cells. Once there, the virus can damage those cells. 

The ensuing immune response can further damage those cells in vast swathes and cause inflammation in the liver.

When the liver’s functions are impaired, 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 eating there is safe.

The restaurant has maintained an A rating from the health department for years.