Patrons of a restaurant in Springfield-Greene County, Missouri, may have been exposed to hepatitis A, says a statement from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. An individual recently diagnosed with hepatitis A had been working in the restaurant and was possibly contagious. This infection is easily transmitted from person to person in a food service environment.

CBS News reports that the restaurant is a local franchise of the Red Robin restaurant chain. With the high volume of customers, as many as 5,000 customers may have been exposed. Health officials are recommending individuals contact a health care provider if they visited and ate at the establishment from May 8 to May 16.

WebMD reports that viral hepatitis includes hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.  Each type has different causes, symptoms, and treatment. According to the World Health Organization, hepatitis A is a viral liver disease that is transmitted through contact with an infected person or consumption of contaminated food or water.  It is often associated with poor sanitation measures.

The prognosis for affected individuals varies, but is rarely fatal. About 20 percent of patients have to be hospitalized. There is no treatment for the virus, and people typically recover within a few months, though relapse is possible. There are approximately 180,000 new hepatitis A infections among adults and children each year in the U.S.

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus, which is spread by blood, semen, or vaginal fluids (including menstrual blood). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis C is a liver disease resulting from a hepatitis C virus infection.  The severity of the disease varies from a few weeks of a mild illness to a lifelong illness.