A viral infection of the liver spread through contaminated food and water or by infected food handlers with poor hand hygiene.
A viral infection of the liver spread through contaminated food and water or by infected food handlers with poor hand hygiene. Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver and is spread through the faecal-oral route, meaning it passes when tiny traces of an infected person's faeces contaminate food, water or hands. In food settings it is classically linked to infected food handlers who do not wash their hands properly after using the toilet, and to foods eaten raw or lightly cooked such as shellfish grown in polluted water, and fresh produce like berries and salad vegetables irrigated or washed with contaminated water. Unlike most food poisoning, hepatitis A has a long incubation period, typically around 15 to 50 days, so illness appears weeks after the contaminated food was eaten, which can make outbreaks hard to trace. Symptoms include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes. Illness can last for weeks and is often more severe in adults than children, though most people recover fully and a vaccine is available for those at higher risk. The core control in an Australian food business is strict personal hygiene, above all thorough handwashing with soap and running water after using the toilet and before handling food. Food handlers who have hepatitis A must not work with food and should follow the exclusion advice from their doctor and local health unit, because they can be infectious before symptoms even appear. Good toilet and handwashing facilities, and a culture where staff never handle food after poor hand hygiene, are essential. Sourcing matters too. Shellfish such as oysters should come from approved, monitored harvest areas, and fresh produce eaten raw should be from reputable suppliers and washed in clean, potable water. Because the virus can survive freezing and light cooking, imported frozen berries have been linked to outbreaks, so businesses should stay aware of recalls and follow any advice to cook affected produce. Vaccination is recommended for some at-risk groups. A food handler contracts hepatitis A while travelling and returns to work preparing garnishes and salads, not yet feeling unwell. Because the virus spreads before symptoms appear, and handwashing at the venue is lax, the virus contaminates ready-to-eat food. Weeks later several customers develop jaundice and are diagnosed with hepatitis A, and the long incubation makes the link hard to spot. Rigorous handwashing and toilet hygiene would have broken the chain.
Frequently asked questions
How is hepatitis A spread through food?
It spreads by the faecal-oral route, usually from an infected food handler with poor hand hygiene, or from raw shellfish and fresh produce contaminated with sewage-polluted water. Foods eaten raw or lightly cooked carry the most risk.
How long after exposure do symptoms appear?
Hepatitis A has a long incubation of about 15 to 50 days, so illness shows up weeks after eating contaminated food. This delay can make outbreaks difficult to trace back to a source.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include tiredness, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach discomfort, dark urine and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes. Illness can last several weeks and tends to be more severe in adults.
Can food handlers with hepatitis A keep working?
No. They must not handle food and should follow exclusion advice from their doctor and health unit, since they can be infectious before symptoms appear. Strict handwashing after using the toilet is the key preventive control.
Is there a vaccine?
Yes, a hepatitis A vaccine is available and is recommended for people at higher risk, including some travellers and certain occupational groups. Good hygiene and safe food sourcing remain essential alongside vaccination.
