An employee of the Memorial Hospital has hepatitis A

BEAUTIFUL CITY

Hepatitis A was diagnosed in a staff member of the Memorial Hospital and, as a precaution, she contacted patients and staff at Memorial Hospital in Belleville and Memorial East in Shiloh who might have been exposed to this employee, Wednesday announced a spokesman for the hospital.

"Memory addressed to patients and staff likely to have been exposed to the staff member and concerned about their health or their risks," said Anne Thomure in a press release. "Other people who fear possible symptoms of hepatitis A should contact their primary care provider or the local health department."

Memorial's statement did not specify how many people could be affected or the name of the employee who had contact with patients. It is also not known how the employee contracted hepatitis A.

Thomure said that the hospital would not comment beyond the statement that he had issued.

What is hepatitis A?

According to the Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, "hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. This can go from a mild illness of a few weeks to a serious illness of 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 beverages contaminated with small, undetected amounts of stool coming from the body. an infected person. "

How common is hepatitis A in the United States?

"In 2016, there were an estimated 4,000 cases of hepatitis A in the United States. Hepatitis A rates have decreased by more than 95% since the hepatitis A vaccine is available for the first time in 1995, according to the CDC.

What are the symptoms?

"Although the risk of other people contracting Hepatitis A is very low, those who may have been exposed must be informed of the symptoms and consult a doctor if they experience one or more of the problems nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin), fever and abdominal pain, "said Thomure.

"There is an effective vaccine against hepatitis A. After exposure, a single dose of vaccine provides protection against infection if it is administered within two weeks of exposure. If it is administered before exposure, two doses of vaccine administered at six months apart provide long-term protection. People who have already been vaccinated are protected and no further doses of vaccine after exposure are needed.

"To reduce the risk of transmission of all hospital-acquired infections, health care workers wash their hands, wear gloves and follow strict protocols for thorough environmental clean-up," said Thomure.