Tag Archives: hepatitis a virus

USA Research – Hepatitis A

Posted on December 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalClose up 3d render of an influenza-like virus isolated on white

Exposure to hepatitis A virus (“HAV”) can cause an acute infection of the liver that is typically mild and resolves on its own.[1]  The symptoms and duration of illness vary a great deal, with many persons showing no symptoms at all.[2]  Fever and jaundice are two of the symptoms most commonly associated with hepatitis A infection.[3]   Hepatitis infections have plagued humans. The “earliest accounts of contagious jaundice are found in ancient China.”[4]

Hepatitis A is the only common vaccine-preventable foodborne disease in the United States.[7] This virus is one of five human hepatitis viruses that primarily infect the human liver and cause human illness.[8]  Unlike hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A does not develop into chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis, which are both potentially fatal conditions.[9]  Nonetheless, infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV) can lead to acute liver failure and death.[10]

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RASFF Alerts – DSP – Mussels – Hepatitis A- Frozen Berries – E.coli – Clams – Mussels

Posted on October 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins – okadaic acid (188 µg/kg – ppb) in chilled mussels (Mytlius Galloprovincialis) from Spain in Italy

RASFF -hepatitis A virus in frozen mixed berries processed in Italy, with raw material from Poland, Serbia, Chile, Bulgaria, Sweden and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Italy

RASFF -high count of Escherichia coli (5400 MPN/100g) in clams (Venus verrucosa) from Greece in Italy

RASFF -too high count of Escherichia coli (3500 MPN/100g) in chilled mussels from France

RASFF -too high count of Escherichia coli (9200; 2400 MPN/100g) in chilled mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Spain in Italy

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Posted in Algal Toxin, Bacteria, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Shellfish, Toxin, Virus

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Research – Norovirus Survival on Sprouted Seeds

Posted on October 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

American Society for Microbiologyalfalfa

Human norovirus (huNoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) have been involved in several produce-associated outbreaks and identified as major food-borne viral etiologies. In this study, the survival of huNoV surrogates (murine norovirus [MNV] and Tulane virus [TV]) and HAV was investigated on alfalfa seeds during storage and postgermination. Alfalfa seeds were inoculated with MNV, TV, or HAV with titers of 6.46 ± 0.06 log PFU/g, 3.87 ± 0.38 log PFU/g, or 7.01 ± 0.07 log 50% tissue culture infectious doses  (TCID50)/g, respectively. Inoculated seeds were stored for up to 50 days at 22°C and sampled during that storage period on days 0, 2, 5, 10, and 15. Following storage, virus presence was monitored over a 1-week germination period. Viruses remained infectious after 50 days, with titers of 1.61 ± 0.19 log PFU/g, 0.85 ± 0.21 log PFU/g, and 3.43 ± 0.21 log TCID50/g for MNV, TV, and HAV, respectively. HAV demonstrated greater persistence than MNV and TV, without a statistically significant  reduction over 20 days (<1 log TCID50/g); however, relatively high levels of genomic copies of all viruses persisted over the testing time period. Low titers of  viruses were found on sprouts and were located in all tissues as well as in sprout-spent water sampled on days 1, 3, and 6  following seed planting. Results revealed the persistence of viruses in seeds for a prolonged period of time, and perhaps  of greater importance these data suggest the ease of which virus may transfer from seeds to sprouts and spent water during  germination. These findings highlight the importance of sanitation and prevention procedures before and during germination.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hygiene, Laboratory, Norovirus, Pathogen, Research

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RASFF Alerts – DSP in Mussels – Hepatitis A in Berries – Histamine in Tuna

Posted on September 14, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Histamine (414; 345 mg/kg – ppm) in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacore) from Sri Lanka in Italy

RASFF -hepatitis A virus in frozen red berries mix from Poland, via France in Italy

RASFF -Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins – okadaic acid (221.3 µg/kg – ppb) in live mussels (Mytilus Galloprovincialis) from Spain in Italy

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Posted in DSP, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Hepatitis A, Histamine, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Poisoning, RASFF, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Hepatitis A – Forzen Berries

Posted on August 9, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Hepatitis A virus (presence) in mix of frozen berries from Italy, with raw material from Chile, Poland, Serbia and Sweden in italy

RASFF -Hepatitis A virus in frozen berries from Germany in Italy

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Posted in Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Virus

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USA – Townsend Farms – Berry -Hepatitis A

Posted on July 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalClose up 3d render of an influenza-like virus isolated on white

Townsend Farms, Inc. of Fairview, Oregon, out of an abundance of caution and in cooperation with the FDA is expanding its voluntary recall efforts and is now recalling Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, 3 lb. bag with UPC 0 78414 40444 8. The recall codes are located on the back of the package with the words “BEST BY” followed by the code T122114 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. All letter designations are included in the voluntary recall. The voluntary recall is occurring because of a potential hepatitis A contamination. The voluntary recall efforts are based on epidemiological and trace-back evidence resulting from an ongoing outbreak investigation conducted by the FDA and the CDC. Photos of the package are attached.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from exposure to the hepatitis A virus, including from food. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. Illness generally occurs within 15 to 50 days of exposure and includes fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, abnormal liver tests, dark urine and pale stool. Hepatitis A vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to a contaminated food. In rare cases, particularly consumers who have a pre-existing severe illness or are immune-compromised, hepatitis A infection can progress to liver failure.

Food Safety News

The Hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen mixed berries continues to grow. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said five more illnesses have been confirmed as part of the outbreak, bringing the total to 127 ill in 8 states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it thinks it has identified a common shipment of pomegranate seeds from Turkey that may have been to blame.

According to CDC, all of the confirmed victims became ill after eating Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend, a frozen berry blend sold across the country in Costco stores. Harris Teeter also sold the now recalled product, but so far no illnesses have been linked to the retailer.

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Posted in CDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Microbiology, Pathogen

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USA – FDA Recall – Hepatis A – Organic Antioxident

Posted on June 4, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAClose up 3d render of an influenza-like virus isolated on white

Townsend Farms, Inc. of Fairview, Oregon, today announced that it is voluntarily recalling certain lots of its frozen Organic Antioxidant Blend, out of an abundance of caution, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Hepatitis A virus, based on an ongoing epidemiological and traceback investigation by the FDA and the CDC of an illness outbreak. No other Townsend Farms products, frozen or fresh, are covered by this voluntary recall or linked to the illness outbreak at this time.

The product was sold at Costco warehouse stores under the product name Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, 3 lb. bag and UPC 0 78414 404448. The recalled codes are located on the back of the package with the words “BEST BY”; followed by the code T012415 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. All of these letter designations are included in this recall for the lot codes listed above. Photos of the package are attached.

The product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores from April 19 until May 7, 2013, under the product name Harris Teeter Organic Antioxidant Berry Blend, 10 oz. bag and UPC 0 72036 70463 4, with “BEST BY” codes of T041615E or T041615C.

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Posted in FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Hepatitis A – Frozen Berries

Posted on May 31, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in frozen berries mix from Italy, with raw material from Canada, Serbia, Bulgaria and Poland, via Switzerland in Italy

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus (presence) in frozen berries mix from Italy, with raw material from Romania, Poland and Bulgaria

EFSA – Hepatitis A

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Posted in ECDC, EFSA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Virus

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European RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Norovirus – Hepatitis A – Aflatoxins

Posted on February 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella in Dried Green Pepper in Estonia sourced in India via Germany

RASFF – Salmonella in Beef Trimings in Sweden sourced in Poland via the Netherlands and Germany

RASFF – Norovirus in Chilled Oysters in Italy sourced in France

RASFF – Hepatitis A Virus in Pitted Dates in Netherlands sourced in Algeria via France

Carrefour Recall – Noroviurs in Oysters

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Maize in Cyprus sourced in Greece

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Almone Powder in Belgium sourced in Ghana

RASFF – Salmonella in Frozen Beef in Sweden sourced in Poland

RASFF – Salmonella in Pasteurised Cows Milk Cheese in France

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Allergic Reaction, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Norovirus, Ochratoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall

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Research Norovirus Spread by Kitchen Untensils

Posted on December 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Sprenger LinkNorovirus

Abstract

Human noroviruses and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are commonly associated with outbreaks occurring in restaurant establishments and catered events. Food handlers are major contributing factors to foodborne illnesses initiated in the kitchen setting. In this study, transfer of HAV and murine norovirus (MNV-1), a human norovirus surrogate, between produce (cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, cantaloupes, carrots, and honeydew melons) and common kitchen utensils (graters and knives) was investigated. The extent of virus transfer to produce during utensil application, in the presence and the absence of food residue, and the impact of knife surface properties (sharp, dull, serrated) was also investigated. Transfer of MNV-1 and HAV from produce items, initially contaminated with ~5.5 log PFU, to knives and graters during application ranged from 0.9 to 5.1 log PFU. MNV-1 transfer to knives was the greatest for cucumbers, strawberries, and tomatoes, and the least for honeydew melons, while transfer of HAV to knives was greater for tomatoes and honeydew melons than strawberries, cantaloupes, and cucumbers. After preparation of a contaminated produce item, knife cross-contamination easily occurred as viruses were detected on almost all of the seven produce items successively prepared. Produce residues on utensils often resulted in less virus transfer when compared to utensils without residue accumulation. Knife surface properties did not impact virus transfer. The ease of virus transfer between produce and utensils demonstrated by the current study highlights the importance of efforts aimed toward preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen environment

 

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Virus, Hand Washing, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Hygiene, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Virus

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