• Member of congregation involved in service tests positive for virus

Hundreds of parishioners who took Holy Communion at two Christmas Day services may have been exposed to the hepatitis a, health officials warned today.

A unnamed member of the congregation involved in the service has tested positive for the virus after the Masses at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Massapequa Park, Nassau County.

Up to 30 authorised Eucharistic ministers may have helped the priest carry out the services at 10.30 and noon.

Around 7,500 parishioners belong to the Roman Catholic Church. It’s not know how many took communion that day, but the traditional service is always a popular one.

Infected? The Christmas Day services were performed at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Massapequa Park

Hepatitis a: Health officials are unsure if any of the parishioners have been infected by the virus, though one person was found to be suffering

James Lisante, pastor of the parish, could not be contacted.

Butan outgoing recording at the rectory referred questions to the local health department.

The diocese said on its website: ‘We pray that noone comes down with this virus.’

The health department declined to say who might have transmitted the pathogen, which is not as dangerous as the hepatitis B and C strands, and found in the faecal matter of the viral carrier.

‘An individual tested positive for hepatitis a who is involved in the Communion process,’ said Nassau County health department spokeswoman Mary Ellen Laurain, referring to an unidentified person.

‘We feel the transmission [risk] is low,’ she added, saying only a few people were possibly exposed.

‘And to protect the public from potential illness, those who received Holy Communion on December 25 should receive prophylactic treatment.’

Dr Melissa Palmer, medical director of NYU Hepatology Associates in Plainview said: ‘Hepatitis a can make you pretty sick.

‘most people will get flulike symptoms, diarrhoea – on occasion some people will have jaundice. But unlike hepatitis B and C, it does not lead to chronic liver disease.’

The health department is offering immune globulin injections or the hepatitis a vaccine to those who attended either of the Masses.

Immune globulin contains antibodies that destroy the hepatitis a virus. The vaccine prevents infection.

‘It was probably a full church,’ said Sean Dolan, a spokesman for the Diocese of Rockville Centre. he said the investigation was ongoing.

Generally speaking, priests are aided at crowded Masses by authorised Eucharistic ministers, of which Our Lady of Lourdes has 30, he said.

‘We don’t want to jump to conclusions,’ he said. ‘Obviously, it’s very concerning when there’s potential exposure to any sort of virus.’

Mr Dolan said it’s still too early in the diocese’s review to speculate on any new hygiene practices.

‘We’re hoping no one comes down with the virus, but we also urge prudence,’ he said.

Dr Palmer said hepatitis a has a ‘faecal/oral route of transmission’.

Hepatitis a outbreaks are often associated with food handled by a carrier who has ineffectively washed his or her hands.

Dr Palmer said a Communion wafer is as likely a source of infection as would be any other food handled by a person with unclean hands.

Treatment with immune globulin, she added, can effectively treat infection.