Strawberry recall 2022: Hepatitis A symptoms and list of retailers explored amid outbreak

The Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are investigating a Hepatitis A outbreak that has been linked to strawberries. The infection has spread across multiple states and has mainly been related to FreshKampo and HEB's strawberry brands.

When writing this article, the Hepatitis A outbreak had infected 17 people and hospitalized 12 in the U.S. At least ten people have been infected with four hospitalization cases in Canada. As of now, no deaths have been reported.

The infected brands were sold at popular retailers, including Aldi, Kroger, Safeway, HEB, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Walmart, WinCo Foods, and Weis Markets.

Those who brought the aforementioned brand’s strawberries between March 5 and April 25, 2022, are advised to throw them away. The FDA has also said that those unsure of which brand they have purchased from should nonetheless throw away the fruits.

Traceback investigations analyzed those cases in Minnesota, California, and Canada who purchased the fresh organic strawberries from FreshKampo and HEB before becoming ill. Symptoms began between March 28 to April 30, 2022.

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What is Hepatitis A? Symptoms explored as strawberries cause infection

According to the Mayo Clinic, hepatitis A is a "highly contagious liver infection." Contaminated food, water, or close contact with a person or an object that has been infected can experience the infection.

Hepatitis A can be observed within 5 to 50 days after consuming the infected product, which in this case would be the strawberries. A few symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, and pale stools. Click On Detroit reported that those under six could be asymptomatic of the infection.

Those who go through the infection often recover within one to two weeks. However, certain cases can become chronic, which will, in turn, lead to more severe health problems, sometimes death.

People must consult a healthcare provider if they suspect they have developed symptoms.

Everyone is susceptible to the infection. However, those who have had hepatitis A in the past or have been vaccinated for the same are immune to the condition.

Those who have not been vaccinated and procure the infection will go through post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), including vaccinations.

To prevent transmission of the infection, the CDC advises people to practice safe food handling and preparation steps, including washing hands before and after eating raw foods and after using the bathroom or changing diapers.

They are also advised to wash the inside of refrigerators, countertops, and utensils that may have been in contact with the infected strawberries. A sanitization process of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water is also recommended.