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The
US Food and Drug Administration is investigating a potential
link between a hepatitis A
outbreak and fresh organic strawberries.
The
FDA -- along with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and
state and local partners -- said the strawberries were branded as
FreshKampo and HEB and purchased between March 5 and April 25.
They
were distributed nationwide and sold at retailers including Aldi, HEB,
Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Weis
Markets and WinCo Foods.
The
potentially affected strawberries are now past their shelf life, FDA said,
but people who froze them for later use should not eat them. "If you
are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your
strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the
strawberries should be thrown away," the FDA cautioned.
Seventeen
hepatitis cases have been identified in California, Minnesota and North
Dakota, which have led to 12 hospitalizations. Traceback investigations
show that affected people in California, Minnesota and Canada reported having
purchased the strawberries. More products may be included as the
investigation is ongoing. People became ill between March 28 and April 30.
The
FDA also recommends that anyone who purchased and ate the strawberries in
the past two weeks and who hasn't been vaccinated against hepatitis A
should get medical attention to find out whether they need post-exposure
prophylaxis. Anyone who thinks they may have symptoms after eating
strawberries should contact a health care provider.
Symptoms
of hepatitis can include yellow skin or eyes, low appetite, an upset
stomach, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light-colored stools,
diarrhea, joint pain and feeling tired.
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