US issues 3 recalls for hepatitis A in strawberries imported from Mexico – how is it spreading?

An outbreak of hepatitis A ravaging Mexican strawberry fields has spilled over into the US, prompting three recalls in just 90 days.

Trader Joe’s, Costco, Aldi and the Oregon-based Willamette Valley Fruit Company have asked customers to throw purchases in the trash because of contamination concerns.

These recalls have raised concerns about how the virus has spread to fruits grown in Mexico.

DailyMail.com reveals how the sexually transmitted disease can spread to strawberries.

Which products have been recalled?

The recalled frozen strawberries and strawberry fruit blends were sold under the Great Value name, Walmart’s retail brand, Rader Farms Organic Fresh State Smoothie Blend at Costco, and Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio at HEB.

High Value Strawberries, High Value Mixed Fruit, and High Value Antioxidant Blend were distributed in 32 states.

They are: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma , Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Products at Walmart were sold between January 24, 2023 and June 8, 2023.

Rader Farms Organic Fresh Start Smoothie Blend was sold at Costco stores in Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas.

These products were sold between October 3, 2022 and June 8, 2023.

Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio was distributed in HEB stores in Texas.

These were sold between July 18, 2022 and June 8, 2023.

An FDA investigation has found hepatitis A infections in frozen strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico. Baja California is a northern Mexican state bordering San Diego.

In March, the agency paired five cases of the virus to those products.

This is the same strain that was linked to the global outbreak of hepatitis A infections in children last year. This outbreak was associated with fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California.

The FDA has stated that people usually get sick with hepatitis A within 15 to 50 days of eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

What is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious viral liver disease.

It mainly spreads when an unvaccinated person ingests food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person.

The virus is one of the most common causes of foodborne infections.

Not everyone with hepatitis A develops symptoms, but those who do usually experience them a few weeks after getting the virus.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include unusual tiredness or weakness, sudden nausea and vomiting or diarrhea, abdominal pain, clay- and gray-colored stools, loss of appetite, mild fever, dark urine, joint pain, jaundice and intense itching.

Anyone who has not been vaccinated or has never been infected with the hepatitis A virus is at risk.

Other risk factors include poor sanitation, lack of clean water, recreational drug use, living with or having sexual relations with an infected person, and traveling to high-risk areas while unvaccinated.

Mild cases require no treatment and most infected people recover without permanent liver damage. However, it can sometimes lead to serious illness.

What Caused the Hepatitis A Cases?

The hepatitis A vaccine is not standard in Mexico, which could contribute to more cases across the country.

In addition, poor hygiene practices can lead to traces of human waste in foods and beverages sourced from the region.

A 2022 review in the magazine PLOS One analyzed hepatitis A rates in Mexico from 2000 to 2019. Researchers should have found the infection rate was 14.7 per 100,000 residents. Children aged one to nine had the highest incidence of 47.8 per 100,000.

The review found that while rates of disease are declining in children, they are increasing in older populations, such as people over age 65. Hospital admissions are also increasing due to older people getting the disease due to older populations being more susceptible to complications such as liver failure.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises getting a hepatitis A vaccine before traveling to Mexico.

According to the CDC, recent outbreaks have led to a significant increase in hepatitis A infections in the US. There were 3,366 cases in 2017, but 18,846 cases were reported in 2019.

As of 2016, 37 U.S. states have identified nearly 45,000 cases, more than 27,000 hospitalizations, and 422 deaths.

The CDC said ongoing outbreaks in the US are blamed on drug users, the homeless and men who have sex with men.

How does the disease spread to fruit?

Hepatitis A is often found in the stool and blood of an infected person. If an infected person still has traces of human waste on their hands while handling food, it can contaminate them.

This can happen if the infected person does not have reliable access to hygiene, such as hand washing.

This is more likely if someone who washes their hands poorly has not been vaccinated against hepatitis A.

What should you do?

Outbreaks continue in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland, with those states reporting between 400 and 2,700 cases in recent years.

The CDC urged people who believe they have eaten these recalled products in the past two weeks and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A to contact their health care provider. Even after exposure, preventive treatment can help prevent disease.

The FDA urged consumers to check their freezers for recalled products and return or dispose of them. Products with different lot codes or purchase dates are not affected by the recall.