Texas Roadhouse Worker in Bangor Diagnosed with Hepatitis A

The Maine CDC is warning anyone who ate food from Bangor's Texas Roadhouse in October that they may have been exposed to acute hepatitis A.

An employee of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Bangor was handling food while infectious with hepatitis A on October 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 27th, and 29th, 2020. Health officials determined that, based on that employee's activities in the eatery on those days, it's possible that customers may be at risk for infection. Hepatitis A can be spread through contaminated food or water, especially when the person preparing the food is infectious.

The Maine CDC is recommending that anyone who may have eaten food prepared at Texas Roadhouse in Bangor, or who was working in the restaurant on any of those dates, should get a hepatitis A vaccine within 14 days of their last exposure. This includes anyone who ate in the restaurant, or who consumed food received through take-out, delivery, or curbside pickup. It's important to get the vaccine soon, according to health officials, because there is a 14-day window during which the vaccine can reduce the likelihood of illness.

Anyone who visited the restaurant between October 16th and October 18th is encouraged to watch for possible symptoms and seek medical attention should they develop. Symptoms of hepatitis A include:

• A sudden onset of fatigue
• Low appetite
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Dark urine
• Jaundice. (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

Most children younger than 6 years old do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Anyone concerned they may have been infected should consult their primary care provider.