Category Archives: Hepatitis A

RASFF Alert – Hepatitis A – Strawberries

Posted on March 22, 2024 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Presence of Hepatitis A virus in strawberries from Morocco in Poland and Spain

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, RASFF, Virus

Research – Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on microbiological risk assessment of viruses in foods Part 2: prevention and intervention measures – Summary

Posted on March 12, 2024 by | Leave a comment

FAO

In the Part 1 Expert meeting, the virus-commodity combinations ranked of highest priority were human norovirus and hepatitis A virus in shellfish, fresh and frozen produce, prepared and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, and hepatitis E virus in pork and wild game.

The Part 2 Expert meeting focused on these virus- commodity combinations and their associated contamination routes. Human faecal matter and vomit from infected individuals are the primary sources of contamination for norovirus and hepatitis A virus.
Across the food supply chain, the primary contamination routes are faecally-impacted waters, food handlers carrying foodborne viruses, and surfaces. Zoonotic hepatitis E virus is present in the meat, organ tissues, and excretions of infected swine and some game animals. Since that initial expert meeting report from 2008, awareness of the public health importance of these foodborne virus-commodity combinations has increased, resulting in additions or changes to some food supply chain management strategies and
research initiatives. Prevention remains the cornerstone of control of foodborne viruses. This is because these viruses are environmentally persistent and resistant to many treatments commonly used to inactivate foodborne pathogens. Effective inactivation methods continue to be necessary and are currently being evaluated.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Norovirus, Research, Virus, Zoonosis

Morocco – Food Safety Office: Moroccan Strawberries Cleared of Hepatitis A Virus – Norovirus

Posted on March 12, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Morocco World News

Rabat – The National Office for Food Safety in Morocco (ONSSA) confirmed on Friday that Moroccan strawberries exported to Europe have been cleared of Hepatitis A virus contamination, following an extensive investigation.

The statement from the office comes after the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) was triggered in Europe and raised concerns over the safety of Moroccan strawberries, alleging the presence of the Hepatitis A virus.

In the wake of the alert, ONSSA carried out extensive analysis. The results showed that strawberries tested negative for both Hepatitis A and Norovirus.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Hepatitis A, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, Norovirus Soft Fruits, Research

RASFF Alert- Hepatitis A – Strawberries

Posted on March 8, 2024 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Presence of Hepatitis A in strawberries from Morocco in Spain

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, RASFF, Virus

USA- Hepatitis A exposure promotes warning for customers of Pennsylvania Cracker Barrel

Posted on February 27, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The Erie County Health Department in Erie, PA, has identified a case of hepatitis A in a restaurant worker.

The employee works at Cracker Barrel, which is located at 7810 Interstate Dr. in Summit Township. Customers who ate or drank at the restaurant or ordered or delivered take-out from Jan. 30 through Feb. 21 are asked to watch for symptoms of hepatitis A.

Symptoms can take two to seven weeks after exposure before they start to appear. They include fatigue (tiredness), loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, dark urine, joint pain or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). The symptoms can last from a few weeks to several months. If they appear, health officials urge you to seek medical attention.

The health department advises dine-in and take-out customers from Feb. 10 to 21 to get the vaccine for hepatitis A as soon as possible because they may have potentially been exposed.

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Posted in Hepatitis A

USA- Hepatitis A risk linked to Chick-fil-A food service worker at University of North Dakota

Posted on February 19, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

There has been one confirmed case of Hepatitis A in a food worker, possibly exposed following out-of-state travel. No additional cases have been identified at this time.  North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined that people who ate at the University of North Dakota (UND) Memorial Union Chick-fil-A, 3625 Campus Rd., Grand Forks, ND, on the following dates and times, may have been exposed to Hepatitis A, which is a contagious liver infection.
January 15, 2024: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
January 16, 2024: 11 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
January 17, 2024: 5 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
January 22, 2024: 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
January 23, 2024: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
January 24, 2024: 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
January 26, 2024: 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
February 4, 2024: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
February 6, 2024: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
February 7, 2024: 5 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

Cases can happen in the U.S. in connection to eating contaminated food or drink, person-to-person contact or from other high-risk exposures. It can take about 15 to 50 days (average is one month) after being exposed to Hepatitis A to develop symptoms.

Individuals unsure if they ate food from the UND Memorial Union Chick-fil-A on the specified dates can check credit card purchases or reference their Grubhub app.

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Posted in food handler, Food Virus, Hand Washing, Hepatitis A, Virus

US Hepatitis A Outbreaks have sickened 44,947, hospitalized 27,469 and killed 424 – all preventable by a Vaccine

Posted on February 9, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Marler Blog

Since the outbreaks were first identified in 2016, 37 states have publicly reported the following as of January 12, 2024:

  • Cases: 44,947
  • Hospitalizations: 27,469 (61%)
  • Deaths: 424

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 have been illnesses, deaths, thousands of customers have had to stand in long lines to get preventative vaccines, some restaurants have shuttered and there certainly have been lawsuits.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Virus, Food Virus Death, Hepatitis A, Research, Virus, Virus Vaccination

USA – Legends Rest Taproom and Paper City BBQ tied to Hepatitis A positive food service worker

Posted on February 9, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has identified a case of hepatitis A in a Westbrook food service worker. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. It can spread through person-to-person contact or by consuming contaminated food or water.

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Posted in Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Virus, Virus Vaccination

USA -Hepatitis A has its eye on a ShopRite in Philly

Posted on January 29, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has recently confirmed that a person who works at the ShopRite at Oxford and Levick, located at 6301 Oxford St, Philadelphia, has acute Hepatitis A. The store is aware of the situation and is working collaboratively with the Health Department.
No additional ill people have been reported and no other stores are affected. While the risk of Hepatitis A infection is very low, the Health Department recommends that people who handled raw beef or pork or ate undercooked beef or pork purchased from the store’s meat counter between January 4th, 2024 and January 21st, 2024 receive Hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible.

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Posted in food recall, Hepatitis A, product recall, Recall

USA – Hepatitis A exposure a Lolita’s Bar and Grill on Georgia

Posted on November 17, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Hepatitis A infection has been diagnosed in a server at Lolita’s Bar and Grill located at 472 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville, GA. Individuals who ate at the restaurant from Oct. 24 – Nov. 7 may have been exposed to the infection and should contact their healthcare provider or the Gwinnett County Health Department to determine if a hepatitis A vaccine is needed to prevent illness.

Hepatitis A vaccine is available at the Gwinnett County Health Department to exposed individuals with no out-of-pocket cost, regardless of insurance status.

Hepatitis A is a contagious viral infection that can cause loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, fever, stomach pain, brown colored urine, light-colored stools and yellowing of the skin or eyes. Symptoms usually begin 2 – 7 weeks after exposure and generally last less than 2 months but can last as long as 6 months. Some individuals with severe symptoms of hepatitis A require hospitalization.

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Posted in Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Virus, Virus Vaccination