Outbreaks of enteric virus infections, including hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus (NoV) have been linked to fresh and frozen berries in the United States and globally. While no enteric virus outbreaks associated with domestic berries have been reported in 35 yearsExternal Link Disclaimer, there have been reported outbreaks linked to imported
NOROVIRUS:
Human norovirus is a major cause of foodborne illness worldwide (WHO, 2023) and is estimated to cause approximately 685 million cases and 212,000 deaths of acute gastroenteritis per year (Kirk et al., 2015). The symptoms of norovirus infections are nausea, vomiting, non-bloody diarrhea, and abdominal pain, which are all self-limiting (WHO, 2023).
HEPATITIS A:
Since the outbreaks were first identified in 2016, 37 states have publicly reported the following as of January 12, 2024:
Hardly a week goes by that there is not yet another announcement of a hepatitis A positive employee putting co-workers, customers and the restaurant brand at risk. There
According to the Gloucester County Health Department a food handler at an Olive Garden restaurant in Gloucester County tested positive for Hepatitis A.
The employee at the Olive Garden at 1500 Almonesson Road in Deptford worked while infected between Dec. 26 and 30, according to the announcement.
Hepatitis A is a viral illness with symptoms
Ten people in Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii have contracted Hepatitis A linked to the consumption of frozen strawberries. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries, imported fresh from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico in 2022, are the source of this outbreak. The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak
Ten people in Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii have contracted Hepatitis A linked to the consumption of frozen strawberries. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries, imported fresh from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico in 2022, are the source of this outbreak. The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak
I am heading to Atlanta on Monday. Perhaps I can convince the CDC with good arguments and t-shirts that it is past time to recommend vaccinating food service workers against Hepatitis A. Here is a letter I wrote a few months ago.
Also, it really is past time for public health to recommend the same.
CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A potentially linked to contaminated fresh organic strawberries reportedly sold as FreshKampo or HEB, purchased in the United States between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022. The Public Health Agency of
But, no free hepatitis A vaccines to food service workers?
Public Health is currently investigating a report of a person who had hepatitis A infection while detained at Men’s Central Jail (441 Bauchet St, Los Angeles, CA 90012). Hepatitis A is very contagious, and people can even spread the virus before they feel sick. Since
Too bad the Taco Bell worker was not already vaccinated.
The Snohomish County Health Department has identified a case of hepatitis A that occurred in a food worker who worked at two Taco Bell locations: 2727 Broadway in Everett and 303 91st Ave NE in Lake Stevens.
Anyone who ate food from the Everett location
