LOS ANGELES – A worker at a street-side fruit vendor in Lancaster was infected with hepatitis A, putting customers at risk for the infectious disease, according to an advisory issued Monday by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
“The fruit vendor was located on the corner of West Avenue L and 20th Street West in Lancaster… Anyone who bought fruit from the vendor’s fruit cart (at this location) during the period of August 15 through August 22 may be at risk for hepatitis A,” health officials said in the advisory.
Those who ate products from the fruit vendor should receive an immune globulin (IG) shot or hepatitis A vaccination within the next week to prevent or reduce illness, health officials said.
The county will offer free vaccinations to anyone who may have been exposed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning Tuesday, Sept. 5, at the Antelope Valley Public Health Center, located at 335-B East Avenue K6 in Lancaster. The local health center can be reached at 661-471-4860.
“We are actively investigating this situation. It is important that anyone who may have bought or consumed fruit from this vendor during the period of August 15 through August 22 should contact their doctor to discuss possible hepatitis A prevention and treatment options,” stated Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, MD, MPH, Interim Health Officer, Los Angeles County. “Those who purchased this product should discard any remaining fruit if still found in their home.”
This new case may be linked to the outbreaks of hepatitis A infections occurring in San Diego and Santa Cruz counties, authorities said in the advisory.
“The large majority of those cases have occurred in persons who are homeless and/or use illicit drugs (injection and non-injection), with several cases also occurring among people who provide services to the homeless. The [Lancaster] worker with hepatitis A who worked at the fruit stand had previously spent time in San Diego, has received care, and is no longer infectious,” the L.A. County health advisory states.
Public Health has confirmed three cases of hepatitis A among high-risk individuals who lived in San Diego during their exposure period, as well as three secondary cases that occurred in a health facility in Los Angeles County. Public Health has not identified any new cases associated with the fruit cart.
Hepatitis A virus [HAV] causes acute liver disease, which may be severe. It is transmitted by contact with the feces of a person who is infected – often through contact with food or water or during sex or other close contact. Signs and symptoms of acute HAV include fever, malaise, dark urine, lack of appetite, nausea, and stomach pain, followed by jaundice. Symptoms generally last for less than two months, although some people may have prolonged or more severe illness.
“Infection can be prevented in close contacts of patients by vaccination within two weeks of exposure or administration of immune globulin… Persons who have been vaccinated against hepatitis A or have received IG within the last three months or have ever had laboratory confirmed infection with the hepatitis A virus also do not need an injection of IG,” according to the county health advisory.
For more information on Public Health clinics, visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/phcenters.htm or call the LA County Information line at 2-1-1 from any landline or cell phone within the county.
Mike Leptuch says
When I lived in Pacoima I would see these vendors take a leak in the bushes and then push their cart over to the local school where they would sell hand made shaved ice sno-cones to the kids getting out of school. When citizens brought this to the attention of the LAPD at local public meetings the LAPD did nothing about it. If local restaurants HAVE to have refrigeration and running water, business licenses, health inspections and pay taxes why don’t the street vendors have the same regulations? They compete head to head with the restaurants for customers. Why does the city turn a blind eye to these vendors? It’s just a matter of time before Hepatitis or something worse tied to these vendors will start killing people. When that happens it will be the city’s fault for not enforcing the health codes. Mike Leptuch RN PHN
Laughing says
But did the vendors you saw have hand sanitizer that they used?
Sno-cones are self refridgerating.
May not have a local city license to vend since many cities have no laws one way or the other, but do they file their state and federal taxes?
So many questions, we need more regulator/inspector feet on the ground it looks like. Of course that means bigger government and thus more taxes.
Tim Scott says
YEAH!!!! If it weren’t for those dratted street vendors those kids getting out of school would have been lining up at the local licensed sno-cone restaurant! Better level the playing field on that head to head competition there!
Alby says
Why is it that illegals/documented Immigrants have the worst smelling bathrooms. $|-|It paper on the floor or smeared on the seats. It should be considered biological assault. I go to job sights and have to leave to a fast food restaurant to do my thing. I notice the same kind of people behind most of these carts (not all of em). I’m not against someone trying to make money to make ends meet, but there should be rules and regulations just like the legitimate struggling restaurants abide by. For starters, each fruit cart should have a minimal five gallon water tank with a faucet and ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP.
Jason Turner says
I think it’s funny that people are acting like food handlers in the rest of the legal parts of California go through this special training that the street worker wasn’t privy too because he is illegal. Nevada has a health card that ensures food handlers have seen a very long set of videos establishing how to prevent illness. They also make sure you have a few different shots. California has nothing like that. I have worked with people that have no idea to even cover food leaving a hotel kitchen in transit to laying it out. Stop blaming the food worker like he’s a diseased freak. Any hotel in Los Angeles could have a waiter or waitress also slip some Hep A when they forget to wash their hands. You ignorant buttheads.
Random Stranger says
Actually, the California Food Handler Card program here is just like Nevada. And the LA County version is stricter then the state. But street venders anywhere can work under the radar. As the case is here.
Av resident says
The solution seems pretty simple.
Don’t buy stuff from the street vendors.
rob says
You might be a “Red Nick”
If you didn’t see a Permit to Sale, Business Licences and a Heath and Food Permit on a food cart. With out a sink to wash hands a bathroom with a washroom….and you eat something they made you…
But if you are !
And “got sick” I would hold the State, City and Law Enforcement accountable. And get one of them there Lawyers to help you. That is spelt ” L A W Y E R”
I hope those who are affected a quick recovery. We Think our government is here to protect us,
I GUESS WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE LIVE IN CALIFORNIA……….
alex says
You nailed it, Rob.
Joyce says
i was cured of hepatitis b by med lab, anyone with the same virus or any other diseases should contact med lab via: medlab36 gmail.com
Amber N. says
How about, if you are concerned about disease transmission due to someone not possibly washing their hands, don’t buy from them. Hepatitis outbreaks happen, there was one recently at a Poke restaurant
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/frozen-tuna-recalled-after-testing-showed-hepatitis-a-virus/vp-BBBQzW7
But this is probably ok and there is a reason for it because it wasn’t a possible immigrant who sold it?
AV is a sick judgmental place with internet gangsters who type with their hooded cloaks on hoping to incite. Good luck with your continued miseries and discord for our changing world!
CareyMM says
The Heath Department and our law enforcement, which we pay taxes for, needs to do their damn job and quit playing racial politics.
Officials at the Heath Department and our law enforcement: “Oh we can’t come down on them since it will look racists to close down a Mexican or Central American street vendor. We don’t care if the citizens that pay our wages get sick and die or have permanent liver damage. We just don’t want to look like racists”.
Laughing says
Here is the site to start with http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/DSE/districtOffices.htm
alex says
CareyMM…Please read the article again. Your comment is nothing more than your dislike of immigrants. Please do your homework before you throw blame at a vulnerable group. Maybe the street vendor was a drug user from San Diego. He/she has received care and is no longer infectious. Get your vaccinations.
RONYROY says
You dolts, the heath department wouldn’t even allow them to conduct business with a little cart on the street selling uncooked food like that to start with. So you wouldn’t have to worry about washing hands etc.
This is 3rd world (Turd World) hygiene right here in the good old USA thanks to open boarders and unenforced immigration laws. They need to be all sent packing back to their dirty unhygienic third world hell hole wince they came.
Dave says
maybe if the city or county did inspections on them just like a real restaurant it would cut down on some problems. But with ALL of these pop up places all over town now on weekends this problem will only get worse. On Ave K and 2oth west it turns into a pop up with tables set up a BIG grill and a covered area. Where is the city inspectors when these people are serving food to the public? The problem was created by the city when they refuse to inspect them. I called after almost getting hit by a car that ran the red light on ave k so they could get to this pace. I was told by the city they do not wook on the weekends so they don’t do inspections and there fore these places have no permit to be there. They said to call the police….really? So because the police work weekends let them do the city inspectors job???
KLV says
Who owns these properties where these places are doing business? Are they giving these people permission to sell this stuff? Something is wrong here.
Not-So-Much says
And yet, the City of Los Angeles does not want its officers to enforce the law in regards to street-side food vendors, and unincorporated Los Angeles County deputies are often ordered not to enforce the law and shut them down (mostly by city officials). Sure, I know they are given weekend permits to operate, but what kind of inspections are being conducted to ensure the produce and cart cleanliness are up to snuff?
I can somewhat understand that these vendors are a source of income for poverished families who are just trying to make ends meet. But is it worth sacrificing our health just to turn the other cheek and allow it to continue? I think not.
Tim Scott says
I dunno what sort of inspections are done on carts you might buy stuff from, but I manage to examine the carts I buy stuff from pretty well. Not EVERY responsibility in life has to be dumped up the chain to some sort of nebulous authority.
allie says
so, how is your ‘inspection’ going to tell you if that vendor washed their hands the last time they took a dump, before they handled your food? or if they understand the dangers of oral-fecal transmission, or if they are aware of the importance of holding food at the correct temperatures. none of those are things you’re going to just ‘see’ while they are preparing an item for you to buy, but they are things that the vendor would have gotten educated about if they had bothered to get a license. and yes, public health issues and transmissible disease that can cause permanent liver damage kind of ARE the responsibility of ‘authorities’
Tim Scott says
You think the authorities follow them every time they take a dump?
The only thing that protects the buyer is the character of the vendor…and I consider myself a better judge of character than a licensing bureau is. But that’s just me.
Not-So-Much says
Tim, I think it goes a little beyond just protection based on character. There’s some pretty damn good liars out there who can put on a show.
And I guess my concern is a snowball effect that could potentially reach kids in school, who in turn bring it home. We all know that kids interact with each other, and they aren’t always the cleanest little buggers. I just think some oversight would be helpful to head this off (somewhat). Buuuuuuut, that would require the county paying for more training, vehicles, and health & safety personnel, so at this point Its just wishful thinking on my end.
Tim Scott says
Those “damn good liars who can put on a show” are just as likely to put it on for their inspectors as they are for every perceptive customer who comes along…actually more likely.
It’s like getting construction done…I’ve talked to plenty of guys who answered every question with “well, I have a contractor’s license.” Showed not the first indication they knew squat, but they were good little fee payers. Now, if you are someone who knows even less about how to build things than that (which is not meant as a slight, not everyone has had any need for such knowledge) then your only real option is to hire a licensed contractor and hope for the best…but that doesn’t mean that contractors are automatically the best builders.
I don’t need to see your degree from Julliard to decide whether you can play guitar.
Shane Falco says
Tim, the unlicensed handyman, thinks that he knows more than the licensed contractor. Why pull permits, have a license, insurance, be bonded, pay payroll and payroll taxes and everything else a licensed guy does when you can just be a….handyman?
Now he’s telling us that he’s a better judge of unlicensed disease carrying street vendors than the health department. That sounds about right.
Mike White says
Tim runs an illegal, unlicensed, uninsured business, so naturally he sympathizes with illegal food vendors. Legitimate food businesses pay taxes, insurance, have licenses and permits, are certified food handlers, etc. All things put into place to protect the consumer.
When an illegal food cart sets up shop, he doesn’t do any of those things. But the authorities won’t do their jobs and shut them down because that would be “culturally insensitive.” Who gets hurt? The consumer who gets ecoli, hepatitis, salmonella etc. and has no recourse since the vendor is uninsured. Also, businesses trying to comply with the laws suffer because they lose customers since the illegal vendor has no overhead costs and can charge less.
Like a real contractor competing with Timmy the unlicensed, uninsured “handyman.” Tim charges less, but his work is unpermitted and will have to be undone if the property is sold. Plus, his work is crap.
Tim Scott says
Awww…did I step on some little contractor toes there?
Too bad.
I’m more than willing to bet Shane the fireman just bought his license and doesn’t know jack about construction. He brown noses around people with fat wallets, then has his guys do the work under his license while he takes half the money.
As to Mike White…no idea what his problem is, but I’m sure I’ve never done any work for him so he has no way of knowing anything about me or my work. Talking out his anal vent.
Tired go non licensed street vendors says
Nasty ass street vendors