Memorial Hospital employee with hepatitis A prompts hospital to warn patients, staff
A Memorial Hospital emergency department staff member has been diagnosed with hepatitis A and as a precaution the hospital is contacting patients and staff at Memorial Hospital in Belleville and Memorial East in Shiloh who may have been exposed to the employee in April, a hospital spokeswoman said.
“Memorial is reaching out to emergency department patients and staff who may have been exposed to the staff member and are concerned about their health or their risk,” Anne Thomure said in news release on Wednesday. “Other individuals who have concerns about possible hepatitis A symptoms should contact their primary care provider or local health department.”
Memorial’s statement did not say how many people were potentially affected or release the name of the employee who had contact with patients.
Thomure said the hospital would not comment beyond the prepared statement it released.
What is hepatitis A?
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. Although rare, hepatitis A can cause death in some people. Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person.”
It is primarily spread through contaminated food or water sources, which was not indicated in the Memorial case, Thomure said.
How common is hepatitis A in the United States?
“In 2016, there were an estimated 4,000 hepatitis A cases in the United States. Hepatitis A rates have declined by more than 95 percent since the hepatitis A vaccine first became available in 1995,” according to the CDC.
What are the symptoms?
“Although the risk of others contracting hepatitis A from the staff member is very low, those who may have been exposed should be aware of the symptoms and seek medical attention if experiencing one or more of the following: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellowing of eyes or skin), fever and abdominal pain,” Thomure said.
“There is an effective hepatitis A vaccine. After exposure, a single dose of vaccine provides protection against infection if given within two weeks of the exposure. If given prior to exposure, two doses of vaccine given six months apart provide long-term protection. People who have been previously vaccinated are protected and no further vaccine doses after the exposure are needed.
“To reduce the risk of transmission of all infections in the hospital setting, health care workers take care to wash their hands and wear gloves, and follow rigorous protocols for thoroughly cleaning the environment,” Thomure said.
This story was originally published May 1, 2019 at 5:27 PM.
