FDA Warns That Strawberries May Have Caused Hepatitis A Outbreak

FDA warns strawberries sold at stores including Trader Joe’s and Walmart may be linked to multistate outbreak of Hepatitis A -Daily Mail

The FDA has warned consumers that strawberries sold at major US grocery stores, including Trader Joe’s and Walmart, may be linked to an outbreak of Hepatitis A. The outbreak is not linked to the ongoing spread of hepatitis that has infected 216 people across 37 states.

The affected FreshKampo and HEB-branded fresh organic strawberries were sold at several retailers nationwide. The FDA is advising people to throw away any strawberry batches purchased between March 5 and April 25.

More than 500 cases related to an unknown outbreak have been spotted worldwide, with symptoms onset dates ranging from March 28 – April 30, 2022.

H-E-B, the famous grocery store CEO, said that strawberries sold at its stores are safe to consume and that it has not received or sold organic strawberries from the supplier under investigation since April 16.

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable liver infection that can result in liver failure and death.

Hepatitis A causes inflammation of the liver, and can be spread from contaminated food or water, or contact with someone who is infected. Some serious cases require patients to get liver transplants.

The FDA said 17 Hepatitis A cases have been reported in California, Minnesota and North Dakota, and recommends people who ate strawberries in the last two weeks get vaccinated.

People who may have eaten contaminated berries in the past two weeks should consult a doctor for post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which can prevent infection of hepatitis A.

For more information about this recent outbreak, check out the following news sources for updates.