The Alabama Department of Public Health is investigating three cases of hepatitis A in Clarke County, Alabama. Two of the people sickened do have a history of international travel, which increases the risk of contracting this disease. There is no more information about whether this may be a larger outbreak or if any single source is responsible for the spread of the virus. Casual contact does not cause infection. The virus is spread when a person drinks contaminated water or eats contaminated food. Objects can also be contaminated when they are touched by an infected person; another person must touch that object and put their fingers in their mouth. The transmission is "fecal-oral". Signs and symptoms of hepatitis A infection appear 2 weeks to 50 days after exposure. They include … [Read more...]
OxyElite Pro Lawsuit Filed in Hawaii Seeks Compensation For Acute Hepatitis, Liver Disease
This week, a lawsuit was filed in Hawaii on behalf of a woman (the plaintiff) who used OxyElite Pro and subsequently suffered acute hepatitis and liver injury. The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff consumed OxyElite Pro for several months before she began experiencing symptoms of hepatitis infection in March 2013. These symptoms included abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue and muscle aches. She went undiagnosed until August of 2013, when she was hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center and diagnosed with acute hepatitis. The lawsuit was filed against USPlabs, LLC, the corporation that manufactures OxyElite Pro, and GNC Holdings, Inc., a retailer and distributor of OxyElite Pro. On November 9, 2013, USPlabs issued a recall of OxyElite products because of an association between these products … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Stands at 155 Sick
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 … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Sickens 153; 66 Hospitalized
The Townsend Farms-Costco hepatitis A outbreak has now sickened 153 people in nine states. Sixty-six people have been hospitalized with acute hepatitis A. New Hampshire is now included in the case count. The case in New Hampshire reported exposure to the product after traveling to Nevada. The count of ill persons by state is as follows: Arizona (22), California (75), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (9), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). Eighty five, or 56%, of the ill persons are women. The age range is from 1 to 84 years. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 7/9/13. No deaths have been reported. All ill persons who ate the recalled product bought it at Costco. The major outbreak strain of the virus, which is genotype 1B, was found in clinical … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms Pomegranate Seeds Now at 149 Sick
As of July 17, 2013, 149 people are now sick in the hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix. Sixty-five people have been hospitalized in this outbreak with acute hepatitis A. No deaths have been reported. The case count is as follows: Arizona (22), California (73), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (8), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The outbreak strain of the virus was found in clinical specimens of 88 people in seven states: Arizona (11), California (34), Colorado (23), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (6), Nevada (5) and Wisconsin (2). The age range of patients is from 1 to 84 years. Fifty-seven percent of those sickened are between the ages of 40 and 64. Ten children who are 18 years or younger have been … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms-Costco Pomegranate Seeds Grows Again
As of July 11, 2013, 145 people in eight states have now been sickened in the Townsend Farms-Costco hepatitis A pomegranate seed outbreak. Sixty-three people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. Those sickened ate the recalled Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix purchased from Costco. Investigations have traced the virus back to pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey by Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading. The case count per state is: Arizona (21), California (70), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (7), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The cases in Wisconsin were exposed to the product in California. Fifty-six percent of the ill persons are women. The age range is from 1 to 84 years. Ten children age 18 or under … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 140 Sick
The CDC has announced that the hepatitis A outbreak linked to pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey has grown to include 140 people. Sixty-one people have been hospitalized in this outbreak; no deaths have been reported. The seeds were included in the Townsend Farms product Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix that has been recalled. Those sickened in this outbreak live in these states: Arizona (20), California (69), Colorado (26), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (6), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). All of those hospitalized are over 18 years of age. Eight children are sick in this outbreak; none were previously vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus. All ill persons who reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms product purchased it from Costco markets. … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Pomegranate Seed Hepatitis A Outbreak Now at 136
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms-Costco pomegranate seeds has now sickened 136 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of July 2, 2013, people are sick in 8 states, and 59 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. The case count by state is: Arizona (20), California (67), Colorado (25), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (6), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). Eight children are part of this outbreak; none of them were previously vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus. Most people (58%) in this outbreak are between the ages of 40 and 64 years. All ill persons who reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix linked to the outbreak purchased it at Costco stores. … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Expands Frozen Berry Blend Recall
Townsend Farms is expanding its recall of Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend that is linked to a hepatitis A outbreak in eight states. There is a "clear association" between the hepatitis A illness outbreak and one lot of organic pomegranate seeds used in the recalled product. The lot was imported from Turkey through Goknur and Purely Pomegranate, Inc. The product has been tested and the results to date have not detected hepatitis A. The recalled product is a 3 pound bag with UPC number 0 78414 40444 8. The recall codes are on the back of the package with the words "BEST BY" followed by the code T122114 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. That means a "best by" date of 12/21/14 through 5/31/15. All letter designations are included in this recall. Epidemiological … [Read more...]
Costco Hepatitis A Lawsuit Filed for Man Sickened by Berry Mix Produced by Townsend Farms
Another lawsuit has been filed in California against Costco Corporation and Townsend Farms on behalf of a victim of a multi-state hepatitis A outbreak. The source of the outbreak is frozen berries manufactured by Oregon-based Townsend Farms and sold at Costco stores, according to the suit, which is not a class action. The berries were part of a recall. "The evidence pointing to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend berries is extremely strong," said attorney Fred Pritzker, who is representing several other victims of the hepatitis A outbreak. "Our goal is to hold Townsend Farms and Costco accountable for these illnesses by getting full and fair compensation for our clients." This newest lawsuit was filed against Townsend Farms and Costco Corporation in the Superior Court of Los … [Read more...]
