About the Hepatitis A Exposure at a McDonald's in Vancouver
and did you know that Hepatitis A vaccination is NOT part of the (publicly funded) childhood routine immunization schedule in Canada?
Those who live in Vancouver, British Columbia may be a bit horrified to find out that a recent Hepatitis A exposure has occurred at a McDonald’s restaurant in Vancouver. The exact location is the one at 3695 Lougheed Highway. And the exposure occurred on the following days and times:
April 19 (8 am – 4 pm)
April 21 (12 pm – 7:30 pm)
April 23 (8 am – 4 pm)
April 26 (8 am – 4 pm)
April 27 (7 am – 2 pm)
April 28 (7 am – 3 pm)
April 29 (7am – 3 pm)
April 30 (8am – 4 pm)
May 2 (7am – 3 pm)
May 4 (8am – 4 pm)
May 8 (6am – 11am)
May 9 (6am - 9am)
If you have previously been vaccinated with 2 doses of a Hepatitis A vaccine, you are technically protected (immunity from a previous vaccination series is expected to last at least 20 years based on currently available data). However, if you have not and you had eaten at this location during the exposure dates stated above, then you should get vaccinated ASAP - 1 dose can help to prevent infection if given within 2 weeks. You will need a second dose at least 6 months later to ensure long-term protection.
What is Hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV) and it is highly contagious. It doesn’t cause chronic liver disease (unlike Hepatitis B and C) and in most cases, it will go away on its own with no complications but in rare cases, it can cause acute liver failure and death.
Hepatitis A is found in the faecal matter of an infected person and transmitted primarily by the faecal-oral route. That means it can be spread from person-to-person by:
Eating food that has been touched by contaminated hands
People who go to the bathroom and then don’t wash their hands properly since they can pass the virus to others through food preparation or other hand/mouth contacts
When a parent or caregiver does not properly wash his or her hands after changing diapers or cleaning up the stool
Through sexual activity, such as, but not limited to, oral-anal contact with an infected person
It can also be spread through contaminated food or water:
Eating raw or under-cooked shellfish such as crabs, clams, oysters or mussels that have been exposed to contaminated sewage
Eating contaminated fruits or vegetables
Drinking water or ice contaminated with the virus
People traveling to areas of of developing countries where hepatitis A is common and there are poor sanitary conditions or poor personal hygiene
Hepatitis A is often considered to be a ‘traveller’s disease’ but it can still occur anywhere really... yes - even in Canada! Because it just takes an exposure like the one at McDonald’s for someone who isn’t protected to contract it! So if you haven’t been vaccinated, I recommend that you get it even if the risk is low. It is a vaccine-preventable disease after all.
How do you know if you have Hepatitis A?
A blood test is needed to confirm/diagnose hepatitis A. Not everyone infected will develop symptoms but if symptoms do develop, they usually appear 2-6 weeks after exposure to the virus.
Symptoms include:
Loss of appetite
Fever
Dark urine
Feeling fatigued
Vomiting
Clay-coloured bowel movements
A sore feeling in the upper-right stomach area
Yellowing of the skin and eyeballs
What happens if you get Hepatitis A?
There is no treatment for it. Hepatitis A can last a few weeks to several months and can range in severity. Basically, if you get it, the treatment is just getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of fluids. Unless… it’s so bad you need to be hospitalized like in the case of acute liver failure.
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease
Yes, there is a vaccine for it…
But if you live in Canada, you may not even realize you’ve never been vaccinated against it because Hepatitis A vaccination is NOT part of the childhood routine immunization schedule (unless you’re in Quebec). That means it is not publicly funded and unless you opted to vaccinate your child or yourself at some point and paid-out-of-pocket (or used your extended health benefits), you did not receive the vaccine.
(On the other hand, Hepatitis B IS part of the schedule but a Hepatitis B vaccination will not protect you against Hepatitis A. At the moment, there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C...)
The hepatitis A vaccine can be given starting at 1 year of age - although, if you feel there is a high risk (such as travelling to a high risk area), then you can technically give it as soon as 6 months of age too. The primary series of a hepatitis A vaccination is 2 doses given at least 6 months apart.
Not sure if you’ve had the Hepatitis A vaccine?
The Hepatitis A vaccine is also known as Havrix, Avaxim and Vaqta. There is also a hepatitis A and B vaccine called Twinrix. If you’ve had any of these vaccines in the past, you’ve been vaccinated against Hepatitis A.
If you don’t have any records or don’t know if you’ve ever had it:
you could see your doctor and get a blood test to check if you’ve got immunity from a past infection or immunization
you could just get re-vaccinated (after 2 doses of a hepatitis A vaccine, immunity is expected to last at least 20 years based on currently available data)