Dozens of Restaurants Contaminated with Hepatitis A
I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto Food Poisoning Litigation Lawyer. Nobody expects to suffer food poisoning when they go out to eat at a restaurant; however, it was recently announced that restaurants serving fish that came from Hilo Fish Co. in Hawaii may have been contaminated with Hepatitis A. The list of affected restaurants includes three located in Modesto.
The Concern is Tuna
Coming on the heels of a recent Botulism outbreak in Walnut Grove, the Hepatitis A news concerns a fish called Yellowfin Tuna. The fish is a popular component in sushi, where it could be particularly problematic due to its raw state. Currently, the FDA is not aware of anyone developing Hepatitis A from the outbreak; however, this is likely due to the fact that most people receive a vaccine against Hepatitis A shortly after birth. Therefore, the CDC is requesting that anybody who has yet to receive the vaccine to visit a medical provider to receive appropriate prophylaxis against the virus. While many people think about E. Coli or Norovirus when it comes to food poisoning, Hepatitis A can be particularly dangerous due to the potential for liver failure.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A
Unlike other food poisoning cases, such as Salmonella, patients infected with Hepatitis A typically will not start to develop symptoms of show signs of comorbidities for a few weeks after infection. The symptoms may include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Significant nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Dark urine from potential liver failure
- Extreme abdominal pain (not unlike abdominal trauma) underneath the rib cage on the right side from liver damage
- Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin from liver failure
While unusual for Hepatitis A, patients could develop liver failure from the virus. Anyone with the symptoms listed above should visit a medical provider immediately, particularly if they have recently visited Camp Four Wine Café, Fuzio’s, or Galetto Ristorante in Modesto, CA.
Treatment of Hepatitis A
In most cases, the body will clear the Hepatitis A virus on its own over the course of several weeks. In the meantime, people should make sure that they visit a doctor so that their symptoms can receive appropriate treatment. Patients may have interest in taking medication to help relieve nausea, making it easier to eat. The patient should also listen to their physician when told to avoid certain medications and alcohol. This will give the liver time to rest and recover from the infection. Most patients will make a full recovery if given enough time.
Contact an Experienced Food Poisoning Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto Food Poisoning Attorney. While most people receive a vaccine against Hepatitis A, this virus still has the potential to cause serious harm to patients. If you, or a loved one has developed food poisoning after visiting a local restaurant or store, please contact me at (209) 227-1931 for friendly, free advice. My toll-free number is (800) 404-5400.
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Image source: Wikimedia Commons by Betty Partin CDC
:dr ab/cv