Diners exposed to hepatitis A after restaurant worker tested positive for virus

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

A waiter who was actively contagious between October 31 and November 13 could have transmitted the virus if he had come into contact with guests’ food or water.

The restaurant, Beans & Barley, is working with the City of Milwaukee Health Department to notify the approximately 80 people who may have been exposed during that time.

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

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

The employee left work after noticing symptoms, including fever, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine and hives, and notified his superiors.

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

However, if people start showing symptoms they should see a doctor, but if they have been vaccinated or have had the virus before, they cannot be reinfected.

Most adults, teens and children become immune once they receive two doses of the vaccine, which together are at least 94 percent effective over several years, but unvaccinated people who worry they have been exposed should get a vaccine now.

Beans & Barley is still safe for customers and the Milwaukee Health Department maintains the risk to the general public is low

The health department has initiated an emergency vaccination drive to ensure these 80 guests are current.

About half of the guests were already up to date on their vaccinations, according to the health department.

Dr. Totoraitis said: ‘We are still checking with the rest of the people there to make sure they were up to date with the Hepatitis A vaccine or 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 are acting quickly to prevent further spread.’

The vaccine effectively prevents infection for up to two weeks after the person is exposed, meaning time is of the essence when it comes to checking on the 50 or so other guests who may be unaware.

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

Mild cases of hepatitis A generally clear up on their own without lasting damage. However, it may 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 get vaccinated against hepatitis A (stock image)

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

The CDC estimates that approximately 180,000 asymptomatic and symptomatic hepatitis A infections occur annually, 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 the liver cells. Once there, the virus can damage those cells.

The resulting immune response can further damage those cells in large areas and cause inflammation in the liver.

When the liver’s functions are disrupted, including its ability to produce proteins and process toxins, it can lead to bleeding, jaundice and the build-up of toxins.

Barley & Beans is still open and the health department insists eating there is safe.

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