As of July 29, 2013, there are 155 people confirmed sick with acute hepatitis A linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix, according to the CDC. Sixty-seven people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.
The outbreak case count is: Arizona (23), California (76), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (9), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The age range is between 1 and 84 years. Eleven children age 18 and under are sick; none were previously vaccinated against hepatitis A. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 7/14/13. Forty-three percent of those sickened have been hospitalized.
All ill persons who reported eating the recalled product purchased it from Costco markets. The outbreak strain of the virus was found in the clinical specimens of 107 people in eight states.
If you purchased the recalled products, do not eat or touch them. Contact your doctor to discuss whether a vaccination is appropriate for you. And monitor yourself for the signs of hepatitis A, which include nausea, diarrhea, fever, tiredness, yellow eyes and skin (jaundice), light colored stool, dark colored urine, abdominal cramps, and loss of appetite. There is no specific treatment for this disease. Patients are advised to stay hydrated and prevent liver damage by avoiding alcohol and medications that may stress the liver.
