Diana Penner

diana.penner@indystar.com

Tea drinkers who visited and sipped the beverage on three Saturdays in April at a store in The Fashion Mall at Keystone shopping center might have been exposed to hepatitis A, and those who were there April 19 should get a vaccination.

The Marion County Public Health Department issued the alert Monday and advised people to watch for symptoms and contact a doctor if they are concerned.

The alert goes out to anyone who visited Teavana on April 5, 12 and 19. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, fever and jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin or eyes.

"People who visited and drank tea prepared at the store on Saturday, April 5, and Saturday, April 12, are beyond the incubation period of the virus and should watch for signs and symptoms of hepatitis A," the Health Department said in a news release. "Anyone who visited the store and drank tea on Saturday, April 19, is still within the incubation period and should receive vaccine or immune globulin to prevent the disease.

"Those age 40 and under should receive hepatitis A vaccine, while people over the age of 40 should receive immune globulin."

Teavana is cooperating with the Health Department and is disinfecting the store, the release said. It was not clear whether the tea shop was shut down at any point.

Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that inflames the liver, said Health Department Director Dr. Virginia Caine. Hand washing after using the bathroom and before eating or preparing food can help lower the risk of getting the virus.

The news release from the department did not indicate how patrons might have been exposed to the virus.

Some people infected with the virus, especially children, might not show any symptoms but still can transmit the disease to other people, the department said.

"The Marion County Public Health Department will offer vaccine or immune globulin free of charge for individuals who visited the store and drank tea on Saturday, April 19," according to the news release. People should call the department's immunization program at (317) 221-2122 to find out where they should go for the shot.

"The Teavana staff has cooperated with the recommendations of the Marion County Public Health Department and has taken appropriate steps to clean and disinfect the store," according to the release.

The department said it handles fewer than five cases of hepatitis A annually.

Call Star reporter Diana Penner at (317) 444-6249. Follow her on Twitter: @dianapenner.