A record hepatitis A outbreak in Kentucky has indicated that foodservice workers (FSWs) have been largely overlooked as an exposed group. While FSWs have not typically been considered to have an elevated risk of infection by some authorities, data specific to the occupational exposure of FSWs to hepatitis A are limited. Additionally, meaningful guidance for the protection of FSWs from occupational infection is lacking. These factors, along with the substantial economic burden faced by FSWs should they become infected, support the need to consider these employees at risk of occupational exposure and infection, to develop and provide specific guidance for their protection, and to conduct better surveillance on their exposures and infections.
Overview: The Risk to Foodservice Workers
This outbreak of hepatitis A in Kentucky has heightened attention on the control and prevention of this disease. While the state has typically averaged around 20 acute cases annually, a dramatic increase occurred in 2017, prompting the Kentucky Department of Public Health to declare a statewide outbreak.[1] On June 28, 2018, officials reported it to be the most severe outbreak on record for both the state and country, with the count up to 969 cases.[2] The majority of cases were reported in Jefferson County,[3] home to the city of Louisville. Groups affected by the outbreak include homeless persons, drug users, and healthcare providers.[4,5]