According to press reports an employee who handles food at the Roadhouse 100 restaurant on Missouri Highway 100 in the unincorporated community of Gray Summit was diagnosed with hepatitis A, officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Tuesday. Anyone who ate at Roadhouse 100 between June 23 and July 5 is advised to receive the hepatitis A vaccination within 14 days to prevent illness.

The incident is being investigated by the Franklin County Health Department.

Officials said it is uncommon for people to become ill from an infected food handler. However, they still urge that people who ate or drank at the restaurant take the precaution of the vaccination, wash their hands frequently with soap and water and monitor their health for symptoms of hepatitis.

The Franklin County Health Department will provide free vaccinations for anyone who ate or drank at Roadhouse 100 between the given dates. Vaccinations can be acquired at 414 East Main Street in Union on Wednesday and Thursday between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Hepatitis A typically spreads when a person ingests the virus from food or drink contaminated by undetected amounts of stool from an infected person, health officials said. The spread of hepatitis can be prevented by thorough washing of the hands, including under the fingernails, after using the bathroom and before touching food.

Hepatitis A can cause loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, fever, stomach pain, brown colored urine and light colored stools. Yellowing of the skin and eyes can also occur. People can become stick up to seven weeks after exposure to the virus.

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.