Fast-Food Burgers May Have Exposed Patrons to Hepatitis

County health officials are warning patrons of an Escondido fast-food restaurant that they may have been exposed to Type A hepatitis and that they should see a physician about the need for gamma globulin, a blood serum product used to treat the disease.

People who visited the Burger King at 1707 E. Valley Parkway in Escondido and ate hamburgers or cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles or other uncooked items at any of the following times may have been exposed to the disease: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 19-21, and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23.

The advisory was issued after it was learned that an employee at the restaurant had hepatitis A, the county Department of Health Services said. The employee has not worked at the restaurant since Sept. 23.

The symptoms of hepatitis A, which can take anywhere from 15 to 50 days to develop, are sudden onset of fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal discomfort, which may be followed within a few days by jaundice. The severity of the illness, which is occasionally fatal, varies from person to person.

Burger King is offering gamma globulin treatments through the Graybill Medical Group at 250 S. Kalmia St., Escondido, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The clinic can be reached at 746-1313.