The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has issued a warning to individuals who may have been exposed to hepatitis A at a ShopRite grocery store located in the northeast part of the city.
An employee working behind the meat counter between January 4 and January 21 has been confirmed to have “acute hepatitis A” and may have been contagious during that period.
Precautionary Hepatitis A Vaccination
While the risk of infection is considered very low, the health department advises caution and recommends discarding beef or pork purchased from the store during that time, which has been frozen since.
The health department suggests that anyone who has handled or consumed raw or undercooked beef or pork from the store’s meat counter between the mentioned dates should get vaccinated against hepatitis A as a precaution.
Those who have previously received two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine or have had hepatitis A in the past do not need to be vaccinated, according to health officials.
Details about the infected worker remain undisclosed, and it is unclear how many people may have been exposed to the virus due to potential secondary exposures from individuals bringing meat home or potential cross-contamination at the store. The infected employee is assumed to be unvaccinated.
As of now, there have been no additional reports of hepatitis A, and no other ShopRite locations have been affected, according to the Philadelphia Department of Health.
In response to the situation, the health department initiated the offering of free hepatitis A vaccines on Saturday for those who may have been exposed, with 61 people vaccinated as of Monday morning.
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Understanding Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious infection that affects the liver and is transmitted through close, personal contact or consumption of contaminated food and drink.
The virus can be spread even before symptoms appear. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin or eyes, loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.
While there is no specific treatment for hepatitis A, the CDC recommends rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids. Most people recover completely, but in rare cases, it can lead to liver failure and death, especially in individuals with underlying conditions such as chronic liver disease.
To protect against hepatitis A, the CDC recommends receiving the hepatitis A vaccine, which is administered in two shots six months apart or as a combination vaccine protecting against both hepatitis A and B, given in three shots over six months.
A single shot of the hepatitis A vaccine within two weeks of exposure may prevent the virus from taking hold.
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