Hepatitis A warning in Victoria

What is the issue?

There are two cases of hepatitis A linked to the Creatures of Habit café (located in the Springvale Homemaker Centre).

Patrons who consumed food purchased from the café between 25 March and 8 April 2023 should monitor for symptoms and seek urgent medical attention if they become unwell.

Hepatitis A is a viral infection that affects the liver, causing acute hepatitis.

An extensive clean-up of the restaurant has been undertaken and there is no longer a risk to the public. There has been no risk in other venues at the Centre.

Who is at risk?

Most people are susceptible to hepatitis A infection, unless they have had the infection following exposure in an endemic country, or they have received a full course of hepatitis A vaccine.

Symptoms and transmission

The incubation period of hepatitis A virus is between 15 to 50 days, with an average of 28 days.

The virus is spread by the faecal-oral route, usually by consuming contaminated food or water or through contaminated hands/objects. People are infectious from two weeks prior to symptom onset until around one week after the onset of jaundice (yellowing of the skin) or dark urine. This means people may transmit the infection before they know they are infected.

Initial symptoms typically include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort, followed a few days later by dark urine and jaundice.

Illness is usually mild and lasts one to three weeks. Most people infected recover completely, but sometimes hepatitis A can lead to hospitalisation and severe illness, particularly in people with chronic liver disease. Hepatitis A does not cause long-term liver disease. Deaths caused by hepatitis A do occur but are very rare (less than 1 per cent of infected adults).

Young children who become infected usually have few or no symptoms but can still transmit infection to others.

Recommendations

For the public

• Anyone who has eaten food purchased from the café between 25 March and 8 April 2023 should monitor for symptoms for up to 50 days and seek urgent medical attention if unwell.
• Hand washing and good hygiene practices are important to prevent transmission of hepatitis A.
• Do not attend work if you have symptoms consistent with hepatitis A infection, particularly if you work as a food handler, childcare worker or healthcare worker.

For health professionals

• Be aware of the potential for locally acquired hepatitis A cases.
• Request serology (IgM) for hepatitis A in symptomatic patients.
• If you suspect acute viral hepatitis, notify the Department of Health immediately by calling 1300 651 160.
• Patients suspected to have hepatitis A should not prepare food or drink or share utensils, provide personal care for others, share linen or towels, have sex or donate blood until infection is excluded.
• If your patient is a food handler, childcare worker or healthcare worker, advise them to not prepare food for others while awaiting results of hepatitis A testing.

More information

• For clinical information visit the Hepatitis A page.
• For consumer information visit the Better Health Channel Hepatitis A page.

Contacts

To notify suspected and confirmed cases of hepatitis A, call the Department of Health notification line on 1300 651 160 and follow the prompts to refer you to your Local Public Health Unit.

For more information please contact your Local Public Health Unit via 1300 651 160 (within business hours) or see the Local public health units page.

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