State health officials in Massachusetts are warning that anyone who dined at The Red Inn in Provincetown between April 30 and May 15 may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

A food service employee of the restaurant who worked during those dates has a confirmed infection with hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A virus is spread through close contact or through contaminated food and beverages.

The illness varies in severity, with mild cases lasting two weeks or less and more severe cases lasting four to six weeks or longer.

Customers who could have been exposed to the virus are being advised to contact their health care provider and receive appropriate medical treatment.

A post-exposure vaccination can be administered up to 15 days after being exposed to the virus.

about hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable, liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV).

Not everyone with hepatitis A has symptoms. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms develop, they usually appear two to seven weeks, at an average of 28-30 days, after infection. Symptoms usually last less than two months, although some people can be ill for as long as six months.

If symptoms develop, they can include yellow skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, upset stomach throwing up, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light-colored stools, diarrhea, joint pain, feeling tired.

Even if no symptoms are present people can still spread the infection. In addition, a person can transmit hepatitis A to others up to two weeks before symptoms appear.