Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Fresh Strawberries; How Families Can Stay Safe

Families who still have stocks of fresh strawberries kept in their freezers, which were bought at supermarkets like Walmart or Trader Joe's between March and April, are advised not to eat or use these as food ingredients anymore after a reported outbreak of Hepatitis A in the U.S. and Canada.

While the batches are no longer sold in stores for more than a month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the Canadian health agency, have issued a warning about the risks, especially if there are still frozen supplies from labels like FreshKampo or HEB in some households.

Here's what families need to know and how they can ensure their safety from the disease.

1. Throw away your stocks.

There's no point in keeping the strawberries stocked in the freezer, especially with more than two dozen reported illnesses and 12 hospitalizations for Hepatitis A in recent weeks. The experts said that if moms or dads can no longer recall the brand they bought, it's still more prudent to throw these away than to risk acquiring the disease.

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Food safety professor Darin Detwiler said via Northeastern that some parents may think washing will help "clean" the fruit so they could still eat it and not waste money. However, he pointed out that strawberries do not have a smooth surface, which means that the virus might not easily wash off and could hide very well in between those creases, rough spots and bumps.

2. Monitor the symptoms.

Hepatitis A symptoms may manifest between the 15th to the 50th day after eating a contaminated batch of strawberries. With such a long window, parents wh have served this fruit to their families should monitor for symptoms like nausea and vomiting, frequent fatigue, dark or pale urine, light gray poop, abdominal pain and jaundice.

Kids under 6 years old may not show any symptoms of Hepatitis A but they can still spread the infection to others, especially to the most vulnerable members of the family, such as the grandparents. If this is the case, the vulnerable may likely feel unwell for many weeks. Some may have the symptoms for up to six months, per Kids Health.

This disease is highly contagious but will usually not lead to chronic liver damage. However, older adults in the family will still have to be protected. So, as with any health and safety protocol, everyone in the family must remember to always wash and sanitize their hands and practice good hygiene to limit the spread. A family member who is showing symptoms must be isolated.

3. Get tested just to be sure.

Getting tested for the virus will provide some peace of mind. Doctors will do a blood test and determine the health and status of the liver during the clinic visit. Unfortunately, there is no specific cure for Hepatitis A and the infection will usually relieve itself.

4. Get vaccinated against Hepatitis A.

The experts also recommend vaccination against Hepatitis A. Per the CDC, any person above 12 months old may be vaccinated. Kids between 2 to 18 years old may also have a "catch up" vaccination. The vaccines are guaranteed highly effective and safe. Since 1995, millions of these vaccines were administered in the U.S. without any major side effects.

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