New Jersey issues Hepatitis A health alert

The worker in question was employed at Brother’s Produce on E Railway Avenue in Paterson, and worked while they were potentially infectious between 30 September and 5 October 2019, the state Department of Health said.

In response, the Department of Health has recommended that any produce purchased from the supplier between 30 September and 5 October 2019 be thrown away, and that anyone who might have eaten produce within the date range and who was not previously vaccinated against hepatitis A receive post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is usually spread through contaminated water and food, or through person-to-person contact. Symptoms usually appear within three to four weeks after infection and include fever, tiredness, poor appetite, dark yellow urine, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting and yellow skin or eyes.

The PEP vaccination should be administered as soon as possible to be effective, but no later than two weeks after eating contaminated food, the department warned.

Officials note that for most, PEP can be obtained from a person’s healthcare provider, and for those without health insurance, the Paterson Department of Health has a limited amount of PEP available to adults at their office.