FDA Investigates Hepatitis A Outbreak Potentially Linked to Strawberries

The FDA is currently investigating a possible link between fresh organic strawberries and a Hepatitis A outbreak.

CNN reports that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and state and local partners say that strawberries were sold under FreshKampo and HEB brands and purchased between March 5 and April 25.

The strawberries were distributed nationwide at Aldi, Walmart, Sprout Farmers Market, HEB, Weis Markets, WinCo Foods, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, and Safeway.

“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,” FDA cautions.

The FDA recommends that if you are unsure which type of strawberries you have purchased and when you should throw the fruit out. If you have eaten strawberries in the past two weeks with the said expiration dates and have not been vaccinated against Hepatitis A, consult a health care specialist.

Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. Symptoms include yellow skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, an upset stomach, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light-colored stools, diarrhea, joint pain, and feeling tired.

Symptoms may not appear until two weeks after consumption and could last as little to two months or as long until six months.