http://localhost:9000/index.php en sschreck@marlerclark.com Copyright 2013 2013-02-20T17:48:41+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/hooters-and-whiskey-warehouse-hepatitis-a-exposure/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/hooters-and-whiskey-warehouse-hepatitis-a-exposure/#When:17:48:41Z In late February of 2013, public health officials in North Carolina warned patrons of the Hooters restaurant located on Bruton Smith Boulevard in Concord and the Whiskey Warehouse located at 1221 The Plaza in Charlotte that they had potentially been exposed to the hepatitis A virus after learning that an employee who worked at both restaurants had been diagnosed with the virus.  According to the Mecklenberg County Health Department and the Public Health Authority of Cabbarrus County, a bartender was confirmed ill with hepatitis A.  Those at risk of exposure to the hepatitis A virus ate at the Hooters restaurant on February 7 or 8 between 10:30 am and 5 pm or ate or drank at the Whiskey Warehouse on February 6 between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm, February 9 between 4:30 pm and 3:30 am, or February 13 between 7 pm and 8:30 pm.  Anyone who was potentially exposed to the hepatitis A virus after eating at either restaurant and who has not been vaccinated against hepatitis A was urged to receive a vaccination within 14 days of exposure. Mecklenberg and Cabbarrus County health officials scheduled walk-in clinics where patrons of the restaurants could receive hepatitis A vaccines within that 14-day window. Symptoms of Hepatitis A infection usually appear 2 to 7 weeks after exposure and may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, pale colored stools and dark urine. Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes, may occur a few days after symptoms appear. Symptoms usually last one to two weeks but can last longer. 2013-02-20T17:48:41+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/toms-gyro-restaurant-hepatitis-a/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/toms-gyro-restaurant-hepatitis-a/#When:21:20:12Z Public Health officials confirmed that an employee of Tom’s Gyro in Pocatello, Idaho tested positive for Hepatitis A. Patrons who ate and drank at this establishment may have been exposed to hepatitis A during the dates of August 2- August 14, 2012. The Idaho Department of Public Health urged patrons of Tom’s Gyro to get vaccinated for Hepatitis A immediately. The health department also advised that anyone who ate or drank at Tom’s Gyro between July 15- August 2, 2012 should contact their medical provider if they exhibited any symptoms of Hepatitis. Symptoms usually occur abruptly and may include: fever, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort. jaundice (yellowing of the skin & eyes), tiredness, nausea, and dark urine. 2012-08-15T21:20:12+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/dixie-donuts-hepatitis-a-exposure/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/dixie-donuts-hepatitis-a-exposure/#When:21:30:31Z Patrons of the Dixie Donuts restaurant in Wilkesboro, NC were encouraged to receive hepatitis A vaccination on May 17, 2012, after an employee at the Dixie Donuts was diagnosed with hepatitis A.  The Dixie Donuts employee worked while infectious, according to the Wilkes County Health Department, which held walk-in clinics for customers who ate food prepared at Dixie Donuts on the following dates: May 8, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 9, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 10, between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. May 12, between 2p.m. and 8 p.m. Hepatitis A infection is characterized by fever, malaise, loss of appetite, and general flu-like symptoms.  After several days of illness, jaundice—a yellowing of the skin and eyes—typically sets in.  Symptoms of hepatitis A infection typically appear 2 to 7 weeks after exposure to the virus.  Hepatitis A vaccine is effective in reducing the risk of infection if it is administered within 14 days of exposure to the virus.  2012-05-18T21:30:31+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/lone-star-steakhouse-hepatitis-a-exposure/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/lone-star-steakhouse-hepatitis-a-exposure/#When:21:30:27Z Anyone who ate at the Lone Star Steakhouse located in the Eastland Place Shopping Center in Evansville, Indiana, between April 20 and May 3, 2012, was potentially exposed to the hepatitis A virus, according to an announcement by the Vanderburgh County Health Department and the Indiana State Department of Health on May 10, 2012.  According to the public health agencies, a person infected with the hepatitis A virus was working at the restaurant between those dates and may have contaminated food or drinks.  Hepatitis A is an infectious disease spread from person-to-person or through contaminated food or water.  Symptoms of hepatitis A infection include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite and pale colored stools or dark urine.  Jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin and eyes, can occur several days after initial symptoms of hepatitis A appear.  The infection usually resolves within a week, but can persist for several weeks and hepatitis A can cause liver damage which can lead to the need for a transplant. Anyone who believes they may be ill with symptoms of a hepatitis A infection after eating food from the Lone Star Steakhouse should contact a health care provider. Public health officials will be providing hepatitis A vaccine or Immune globulin injections to patrons of the Lone Star Steakhouse who dined at the restaurant between April 27 and May 3.  Anyone who ate at the Lone Star Steakhouse on those dates should receive treatment to prevent hepatitis A infection.  Patrons who dined at the restaurant between April 20 and April 26 are no longer eligible to receive preventive treatment for hepatitis A, so should be on the look-out for symptoms associated with hepatitis A infection. 2012-05-10T21:30:27+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/mcdonalds-hepatitis-a-outbreak1/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/mcdonalds-hepatitis-a-outbreak1/#When:19:24:42Z During the summer of 2009, public health officials in the Quad-City region of Illinois identified 32 confirmed cases of hepatitis A among patrons of the McDonald’s restaurant in Milan, Illinois.  At least eleven people were hospitalized due to the severity of their hepatitis A symptoms.  According to news reports, the hepatitis A outbreak timeline is as follows: June 17, 2009A person who works at the McDonald’s restaurant in Milan, Illinois, is diagnosed with hepatitis A. July 10, 2009 The Rock Island County Public Health Department (RICPHD) learns that five people, including two from Mercer County, have tested positive for hepatitis A. July 13, 2009 The RICPHD learns of the McDonald’s worker’s hepatitis A infection via a report delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. July 14, 2009 Representatives from RICPHD visit the Milan McDonald’s restaurant and instruct McDonald’s employees on proper hand-washing techniques to prevent the spread of hepatitis A. July 15, 2009 RICPHD becomes aware of four additional hepatitis A cases, and learns that one is a second McDonald’s employee.  The Milan McDonald’s is closed for deep cleaning, and a formal notice regarding the hepatitis A outbreak is issued.  All McDonald’s employees are tested for hepatitis A. July 21 and 22, 2009 Thousands of people exposed to the hepatitis A virus through the consumption of food prepared at the Milan McDonald’s restaurant receive hepatitis A vaccinations or Immune Globulin injections to prevent hepatitis A infection. July 23, 2009, the Marler Clark law firm filed a class action lawsuit against McDonald’s on behalf of all individuals who received a hepatitis A vaccination or Immune Globulin injection to prevent becoming ill with hepatitis A infection.  The firm has also filed individual lawsuits on behalf of three people who became ill with hepatitis A infections after consuming food purchased from the Milan, Illinois, McDonald’s restaurant. 2009-07-17T19:24:42+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/chipotle-grill-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/chipotle-grill-hepatitis-a-outbreak/#When:20:35:56Z In April 2008, San Diego County health officials announced that a number of Hepatitis A (HAV) infections had been traced to a Chipotle Grill restaurant, in La Mesa, California, near San Diego.  Officials advised customers who had eaten at the restaurant between March 1 and April 22 that they might be at risk for infection.  As of early May, more than twenty people who ate at the La Mesa restaurant have tested positive for HAV infection.  A number of those victims have contacted Marler Clark, and three lawsuits have been filed. For complete information on the outbreak, as well as reference articles, visit the Marler Clark Case News page. 2008-08-12T20:35:56+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/carls-jr-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/carls-jr-hepatitis-a-outbreak/#When:02:24:59Z The Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) received a confirmed report of hepatitis A in a food handler employed at the Carl’s Jr., Restaurant on February 16, 2000. Health Department staff sent out a public notice, and encouraged any person who consumed food at Carl’s Jr. on days the food handler worked to receive IG treatment. Marler Clark represented several people who contracted hepatitis A after eating at Carl’s Jr. as well as those who received Immune Globulin shots to prevent infection. 2007-11-29T02:24:59+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/dangelos-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/dangelos-hepatitis-a-outbreak/#When:02:24:40Z On November 20, 2001, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) was notified of seven confirmed hepatitis A cases in the area. All local boards of health were notified, and an investigation of a hepatitis A outbreak linked to two D’Angelo’s Delis began. Ultimately, the investigation yielded a total of 53 cases meeting the outbreak case definition. Two of the confirmed cases were food workers employed at Rudy’s Country Store. Both employees had eaten at the Swansea D’Angelo’s three to four weeks prior to the onset of their respective symptoms. Both of the Rudy’s employees who tested positive had contact with food served to customers. Approximately 1600 persons obtained Immune Globulin shots to prevent hepatitis A infection. No hepatitis A cases were linked to the consumption of food sold at Rudy’s. 2007-11-29T02:24:40+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/mcdonalds-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/mcdonalds-hepatitis-a-outbreak/#When:02:24:01Z In March of 1998, the Skagit County Health Department (SCHD) received a number of reports that residents had been diagnosed with hepatitis A and began an investigation into what appeared to be a hepatitis A outbreak.  During its investigation into the outbreak’s source, SCHD determined that the outbreak had occurred among patrons of the McDonald’s restaurant located on Riverside Drive in Mt. Vernon, Washington, who had eaten at the restaurant in mid-February, 1998.  Through its investigation, SCHD learned that an assistant manager at the McDonald’s had worked while infected with hepatitis A and had contaminated food. Marler Clark represented a woman who became severely ill with hepatitis A after eating food prepared at the Mount Vernon McDonald’s restaurant and was hospitalized several times as a result of her infection in a claim against McDonald’s.  Her claim was resolved in 2000. 2007-11-29T02:24:01+00:00 http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/chi-chis-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_outbreaks/view/chi-chis-hepatitis-a-outbreak/#When:02:23:34Z Pennsylvania State health officials first learned of a potential HAV outbreak from emergency room doctors in Beaver County, who reported an unusually high number of hepatitis A cases in late October, 2003. Investigators from the health department began investigating the people who had fallen ill, and determined that the common thread for all was having eaten at the Chi Chi’s restaurant at the Beaver Valley Mall. Once the department isolated the restaurant as the probable source of the outbreak, Chi Chi’s closed the restaurant voluntarily and it remained closed for a number of weeks. Ultimately, over 650 confirmed cases, both primary and secondary, were linked to this outbreak. The victims included at least 13 employees of the Chi Chi’s restaurant, and numerous residents of six other states. Four persons died as a consequence of their hepatitis A illnesses. In addition, more than 9,000 persons who had eaten at the restaurant during the period of potential exposure, or who had been exposed to ill persons, obtained immune globulin shots as protection against the hepatitis A virus. The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), conducted further studies investigating the incident. The FDA issued a statement dated December 9, 2003, reaffirming that this outbreak was associated with eating raw or undercooked green onions. 2007-11-29T02:23:34+00:00