The FDA is Investigating a Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Strawberries in the United States and Canada

The FDA announced on May 28 that it is investigating a hepatitis A outbreak across the nation with the help of the CDC, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 17 people have fallen ill, 12 of whom were hospitalized in California, Minnesota, and North Dakota. The FDA said that any Freshkampo or H-E-B branded strawberries purchased between March 5 and April 25 should be discarded immediately. 

Why Hepatitis is a Concern

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection that can spread through direct contact with someone with hepatitis A or by consuming contaminated food or drink. Most people who contract hepatitis A will make a full recovery within about two months with lifelong immunity; however, those with pre-existing conditions and immune deficiencies are at risk of developing permanent liver damage that could lead to death. 

While most cases result in minor health issues, mass distribution of contaminated food products like the case of Freshkampo and H-E-B’s strawberries is a considerable concern for the FDA because of how many people it could put at risk. The FDA stated that the following stores regularly sell strawberries from the aforementioned distributors;

• Aldi
• HEB
• Kroger
• Safeway
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Trader Joe’s
• Walmart
• Weis Markets
• WinCo Foods

With so many potential contamination points, the FDA has to move quickly to nip a wider-spread outbreak in the bud. Fortunately, the strawberries of concern are past their shelf life, so the FDA stated that the primary concern is strawberries that may have been frozen for future use. 

Related article: Global Race to Track and Contain Monkeypox Outbreak

An Ongoing Effort to Control Hepatitis A

The most recent strawberry-linked hepatitis A outbreak is not the first in America, nor is it the only current outbreak. Though contaminated foods are very concerning in the public eye, the CDC states that individuals are more likely to contract hepatitis A through direct contact with an infected person. 

There are currently 21 states experiencing active hepatitis A outbreaks. Ohio has the highest case count, with 3,767 individuals having contracted hepatitis A since the beginning of 2018, 61% of whom were hospitalized at one point, and 16, unfortunately, died due to the infection. 

A total of 16 states that announced a hepatitis A outbreak have since declared that the outbreak has ended. The most recent to declare an end to an outbreak was Illinois which announced an end to its hepatitis A outbreak on May 18 of this year. 

The FDA, CDC, and WHO all state that the most effective way of preventing hepatitis A is through vaccination. Development of hepatitis A vaccines began back in 1978, and Europe first approved the vaccine in 1991, followed by the USA in 1995. After decades of precision engineering, current hepatitis A vaccines can last 20 years or even longer.

The current hepatitis A outbreak in the United States linked to contaminated strawberries is concerning, but the proper authorities are working diligently to mitigate the risk of exposure in large populations. Several other outbreaks linked to direct person-to-person contact are ongoing, but with the help of modern vaccines, the general population can gain protection and reduce the risk of contracting and spreading hepatitis A. 

In addition to American hepatitis A outbreaks, WHO announced an acute hepatitis outbreak among children across 33 countries. As of May 27, the outbreak is still under investigation and the origins remain unknown. Of the 650 reported cases most likely linked to the outbreak, the majority are in European countries and 75% of cases are in children younger than five years old. WHO labeled the current global threat level as moderate as it continues to monitor the situation. 

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Author

Reed Slater