Hepatitis A Found at Local Restaurant

If you had a meal at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Bridgeport in the past few days, you may have been exposed to hepatitis A. The Saginaw County Health Department has confirmed a case of the illness in a food service worker at the restaurant, which is working with the health department during the investigation.

Anyone who visited the Bridgeport Cracker Barrel between August 25 and 28 is advised to get a hepatitis A vaccine by September 8. The vaccine can prevent the disease if given within 14 days of exposure. It’s available at the Saginaw County Health Department and also through some healthcare providers and pharmacies. The clinic hours for the health department can be found on their website.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease. While the vaccine is recommended as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule, most adults have not been vaccinated and may be susceptible. It can be spread by eating contaminated food or water, during sex or just by living with an infected person. Some of the symptoms include nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite and yellowing of skin and eyes.

For more information, call the Saginaw County Health Department hotline, (989) 758-3828, or visit their website: www.saginawpublichealth.org. You can also find information on the State of Michigan’s hepatitis outbreak page: www.michigan.gov/hepatitisaoutbreak