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Published Date: 2013-06-18 17:01:35
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hepatitis A - USA (05): frozen berries
Archive Number: 20130618.1780182

HEPATITIS A - USA (05): FROZEN BERRIES
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Mon 17 Jun 2013
Source: Food Poisoning Bulletin [edited]
http://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2013/townsend-farms-costco-hepatitis-a-outbreak-grows-to-106-sick/


The hepatitis A outbreak associated with the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix has grown to 106 people, according to the CDC. 47 people have been hospitalized in this outbreak.

94 people have been interviewed so far. Of those people, 57, or 61 percent are women. The age range is still from 2 to 87 years. Illness onset dates range from 16 Mar 2013 to 8 Jun 2013. Half of the people who are ill have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. 76 of the 94 people interviewed so far ate the recalled Townsend Farms product before becoming ill, and all purchased the product at Costco.

The product was recalled on 3 Jun 2013. People may still have this product in their home freezers. Some retail establishments may still have it too; there were reports over the weekend that a restaurant in Oregon used the recalled product to make smoothies served to customers last week. The FDA stepped in and told the facility about the recall and the potential for hepatitis A contamination.

[Byline: Linda Larsen]

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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
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[It seems likely that this outbreak will have run its course in view of the publicity it is receiving and the promptness of the recall and the use of computerised records of purchases held by Costco (see previous ProMED-mail posts). The high proportion of hospitalisations is noteworthy, however, and perhaps other contaminants have played a role. - Mod.CP

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1hiS.]

See Also

Hepatitis A - USA (04): frozen berries 20130613.1771167
Hepatitis A - USA (03): frozen berries 20130608.1762633
Hepatitis A - USA (02): frozen berries 20130603.1753214
Hepatitis A - USA: frozen berries 20130601.1750001
Hepatitis A - EU (03): Sweden, frozen berries 20130502.1685349
Hepatitis A - EU (02): (Northern countries), travel-associated 20130427.1676904
Hepatitis A - EU: Nordic countries, food-borne, frozen berries 20130417.1653060
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