According to press reports, the Marshall County Health Department said Monday it has confirmed a case of Hepatitis A in a food service worker at the KFC restaurant in Moundsville.

The alert issued by the health department is only preventive, and no cases resulting from exposure at the restaurant have been reported.

The health department also found that the fast food restaurant at 122 Lafayette Ave. is safe to operate. The department reviewed KFC’s food handling practices and did not find a need for action beyond establishing general awareness of the incident among customers, officials said. KFC will continue partnering with the health department to uphold health and food safety standards within the restaurants, county officials said.

Hepatitis A is a viral disease of the liver spread from person to person by the “fecal-oral”route, often by inadequate hand-washing after using the toilet or changing diapers.

Marshall County Health Department Administrator Tom Cook said “risk of the disease transmission is very low” but people who have not been vaccinated against Hepatitis A and consumed food or drinks at the restaurant between July 22 and Aug. 5 should consider being vaccinated no more than two weeks after possible exposure.

Individual health care providers or the Marshall County Health Department can help determine proper prevention. Hepatitis A vaccine is available from most health care provider offices, pharmacies and urgent cares clinics, but individuals should call ahead to ensure availability.

With an outbreak of Hepatitis A in parts of the United States, including West Virginia, the Marshall County Health Department is offering Hepatitis A vaccinations to high-risk individuals.

Thorough hand-washing with soap and water after using the toilet and before handling food is the most important factor in preventing spread. Vaccinations are highly effective if received within 14 days of exposure.

Hepatitis A:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Hepatitis A outbreaks. The Hepatitis A lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Hepatitis A and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $650 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Hepatitis A lawyers have litigated Hepatitis A cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of sources, such as green onions, lettuce and restaurant food.  The law firm has brought Hepatitis A lawsuits against such companies as Costco, Subway, McDonald’s, Red Robin, Chipotle, Quiznos and Carl’s Jr.  We proudly represented the family of Donald Rockwell, who died after consuming hepatitis A tainted food and Richard Miller, who required a liver transplant after eating food at a Chi-Chi’s restaurant.

If you or a family member became ill with a Hepatitis A infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Hepatitis A attorneys for a free case evaluation.