Hepatitis A Case Confirmed In LA County Supermarket Worker

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — Public health authorities on Friday confirmed a case of hepatitis A in an employee of the Beverly Hills Whole Foods. Some people who recently shopped at the store may be at risk of contracting the disease, officials said.

The infected person is an employee of the Whole Foods at 239 N. Crescent Drive. Officials recommend that anyone who purchased products from the seafood counter between April 20 and May 13 receive a hepatitis A vaccine if they are not already immune, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Friday.

"Receiving vaccination as soon as possible after exposure could help reduce the risk of developing hepatitis A infection," the department said.

Officials noted that people who have not received the vaccine or had a previous hepatitis A infection may not be protected from the virus.

Anyone who develops symptoms should call their healthcare provider and ask for a hepatitis A test, health officials said.

Symptoms show two to six weeks after infection and can include fever, vomiting, grey stools, feeling tired, stomach pain, joint pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, nausea and yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Some people have mild cases that last a few weeks, other more serious cases can last several months.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease that spreads easily from person to person, usually when a person eats or drinks something contaminated with the virus, often because the item was touched by someone who was infected and didn't know it, health officials said.

It can also spread when a person doesn't wash their hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers or through sexual contact with an infected partner.

The Beverly Hills case comes after public health officials on Monday announced they are investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A among people experiencing homeless. The department said it had identified five cases since mid-March.

More information and resources on hepatitis A are available on the public health department's website.

Representatives at the Public Health InfoLine are available to answer questions and to help people find a doctor daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The phone number is 833-540-0473.