Hepatitis A Infections Spark Health Warning for Mississippi Restaurant’s Diners

Hepatitis A Infections Spark Health Warning for Mississippi Restaurant’s Diners

Customers who ate at a seafood restaurant in Jackson County, Mississippi, may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus, state health officials said Tuesday.The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) said it is investigating two cases of the disease in employees of Brady's Steaks and Seafood in the city of Pascagoula—located on the Gulf Coast.The two employees have been diagnosed with hepatitis A, and health officials said that the staff members had worked at the restaurant while potentially infectious, which could have led to "possible exposure" for customers.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Individuals can become infected by ingesting contaminated food or water, or via close contact with a person who is infected—including sexual contact.The virus is most often spread via what is known as the "fecal-oral" route. This refers to when an individual eats or drinks something that contains small quantities of unseen fecal matter from an infected person, according to the Cleveland Clinic.This route of transmission can occur when an individual touches something that has the virus on it, and then puts their hands in their mouth. It can happen when food is grown, picked, processed or served.The MSDH said