An outbreak of hepatitis A infection originating from frozen strawberries in Mexico has been declared over.
The epidemic started in April, and some products were recalled (see table below). On September 15, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 10 patients from 4 states had been diagnosed. Four patients were seriously ill and had to be hospitalized.
The frozen organic strawberries involved in the case were sold across the country. Cases have been confirmed in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington state.
“Frozen strawberries have a long shelf life. Consumers should check their refrigerators for recalled products,” according to the FDA’s latest outbreak report.
All ten outbreak patients reported eating frozen organic strawberries before becoming ill.
Organic strawberries imported from the Mexican state of Baja California were identified as the source of the virus, based on traceability data collected during the outbreak investigation. FDA’s traceback investigation uncovered a common supplier of frozen organic strawberries. The strawberries used by this supplier were imported in 2022 from certain farms in Baja California, Mexico.
Additionally, the strain of hepatitis A virus causing illness this year is genetically identical to the strain causing an outbreak of hepatitis A virus infections in 2022, which was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico and sold at multiple retailers .
For recall details, please see:
About hepatitis A
Food contaminated with hepatitis A won’t look or smell bad. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV).
Not all people with hepatitis A develop symptoms. Adults are more likely to develop symptoms than children. If symptoms occur, they usually appear 2 to 7 weeks after infection, with an average of 28-30 days. Symptoms usually last less than two months, but some people may have it for up to six months.
Symptoms include yellowing of the skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, upset stomach, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light stools, diarrhea, joint pain and tiredness.
People can still spread the infection even if they don’t have symptoms. Additionally, a person can spread hepatitis A to others up to two weeks before symptoms appear.