June 27, 2003
ALHAMBRA, Calif. (AP) -- Los
Angeles County health officials are
urging anyone who ate at a Taco Bell
restaurant in Alhambra a few weeks ago
to get vaccinated for hepatitis A
after a worker was diagnosed with the
liver disease.
Officials said customers' risk of
contracting the disease was low and
the immune globulin vaccinations were
precautionary.
"We have no way of knowing if this
person contaminated the food," said
Laurene Mascola, chief of Los Angeles
County's Acute Communicable Disease
Control Program.
Officials learned of the worker's
diagnosis Thursday, and recommended
vaccines for anyone who ate at the
restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue on
June 12 or 13. The vaccination only is
effective if received within 14 days
of exposure.
Hepatitis A symptoms include
yellowing of eyes and skin, nausea,
appetite loss, vomiting, stomach
cramps, dark-colored urine and
fatigue.
Taco Bell spokeswoman Laurie Gannon
said the company notified health
authorities when the worker was
diagnosed with hepatitis A. It was the
first known case of the illness in at
least 10 years among Taco Bell workers
in the area, she said. The worker is
recovering, she said.
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