Food service worker diagnosed with hepatitis A in Knox Co.

KNOX COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ)-The Knox County Health Department says a food service worker has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.

They say this person worked at the Little Caesars located at 510 Master Street in Corbin.

The health department says an investigation found that the risk of restaurant patrons becoming infected is very low. Although additional cases are unlikely to occur, Little Caesars Pizza is working to prevent any new cases from happening in the community as a result of this case.

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that can cause loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, fever, stomach pain, brown colored urine, and light colored stools. Yellowing of the skin or eyes may also appear. People may have some or none of these symptoms. It could take up to 50 days after being exposed to the virus for someone to become ill.

Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. The virus spreads when an infected person does not wash his/her hands adequately after using the toilet or engages in behaviors that increase risk of infection.

Careful hand washing, including under the fingernails, with soap and water, along with vaccination of anyone at risk of infection, will prevent the spread of this disease.

CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for the following groups:
•All children at age 1 year
•Travelers to countries that have high rates of hepatitis A
•Family members and caregivers of recent adoptees from countries where hepatitis A is common
•Men who have sexual contact with other men
•People who use injection and non-injection illegal drugs
•People with chronic (lifelong) liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C
•People who are treated with clotting-factor concentrates
•People who work with hepatitis A infected animals or in a hepatitis A research laboratory

For additional information on the larger outbreak occurring in Kentucky, please visit https://chfs.ky.gov/…/i…/Pages/hepatitis%20A%20Outbreak.aspx or contact the Knox Count Health Department at 606-546-3486.