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McDonald's, Hepatitis A Outbreak Probed in Illinois

By PritzkerLaw

A McDonald's restaurant in Milan, Illinois, closed early Thursday amid media reports that its employees have been screened for hepatitis A in connection with an Illinois hepatitis A outbreak.

A parent of one of the McDonald's employees told WQAD.com of the Quad Cities that her daughter and other employees of the McDonald's on U.S. 67 in Milan, Illinois, were screened for the disease at the Rock Island County Health Department.

WQAD and the Quad City Times newspaper both reported first-hand that the Milan McDonald's closed early on Thursday and that workers were seen through the windows scrubbing down furniture and equipment. Theresa Foes of the Rock Island County Health Department said the Illinois Hepatitis outbreak is under investigation and could be related to more than one food provider.

The hepatitis A outbreak near McDonald's restaurant in Milan has included 13 of 19 confirmed cases in Rock Island County. The other confirmed hepatitis A cases in the outbreak have been in Henry, Mercer, Warren and Woodford counties, officials have said.

Arnie Hanson patronized the Milan, Illinois, McDonald's restaurant Thursday. He told WQAD.com that his family was among the last to be served before the store was abruptly closed. Arnie Hanson  told WQAD.com that he was angry that he wasn't told by McDonald's about McDonald's hepatitis A screening of its employees.

"They put my daughter in jeopardy along with the public and other people,'' Mr. Hanson said.

Rock County and the state of Illinois Department of Public Health say there have been 19 confirmed Hepatitis A cases in the outbreak and a few more that are suspected. The Illinois state health director, Dr. Damon T. Arnold, had issued an advisory of a hepatitis A outbreak earlier in the week advising residents to be extra careful about hand-washing and personal hygiene.

Hepatitis A contamination is frequently caused by an infected restaurant worker who doesn't properly wash his or her hands after going to the bathroom. It is spread through feces. But an outbreak of hepatitis A can also be caused by contaminated products. For example, in a major hepatitis A outbreak involving Chi-Chi's Restaurant, the cause was green onions.

Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is a national food safety law firm that has handled many cases for people who have suffered hepatitis A infection from restaurant workers. As in the 2007 Pizza Ranch hepatitis A outbreak, restaurants are responsible for any injury caused by the food they served. Even if a specific food handler caused the harm, the restaurant as a whole is still responsible.

To contact a hepatitis A lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation. The form is quick and easy. Our firm is thoroughly familiar with  hepatitis A lawsuit procedures required for a recovery. Over the years, we have collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning. We are among only a few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness and our attorneys are often called by national, state and local media for comment on issues of food safety and food poisoning.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on July 17, 2009 (boomark / email).