An outbreak of hepatitis A in Australia linked to frozen berries from China has prompted memories of a huge 2013 hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen berries in the U.S. At least five people in Australia are currently sick with the virus. In 2013, traceback investigation in the U.S. outbreak found that the virus was likely in frozen imported pomegranate seeds from Turkey that was used in Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend. One hundred sixty-five people were sickened; their illness onset dates ranged from 3/31/2013 - 8/12/2013. Forty-two percent of patients were hospitalized. All ill people who reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms product purchased it from Costco markets. Attorney Fred Pritzker, who represents clients in the U.S. outbreak, said, "people who bought this … [Read more...]
Huge Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms Pomegranate Seeds
A huge outbreak of hepatitis A linked to pomegranate seeds in Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant blend sickened 165 people in 10 states in 2013. Seventy-one people were hospitalized in this outbreak and several recalls were issued. The FDA also investigated this outbreak. The case count by state was as follows: Arizona (24), California (80), Colorado (29), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). Fifty-five percent of ill persons were female. The age range was from less than one year to 84 years. Illness onset dates ranged from 3/31/2013 - 8/12/2013. Forty-two percent of all ill persons were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. All people who reported eating this product before they became ill purchased it from Costco … [Read more...]
Largest Multi-State Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2013: #3
A hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen mixed berries made by Townsend Farms and sold at Costco stores was the third-largest multi-state food poisoning outbreak of 2013. Between May and September, 162 people in 10 states were sickened by the berries. Contaminated pomegranate seeds in the berry mix were identified as the source of illness. Although the product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores, no one who became ill bought the product at Harris Teeter. Townsend Farms issued a recall for the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend berries on June 4. On July 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading of Turkey, the source of the tainted pomegranate seeds, on import alert, meaning that its shipments cannot be imported without proof … [Read more...]
CDC’s Final Report on Hepatitis Outbreak Townsend Farms Mixed Berries
Hepatitis A in bags of Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen mixed berries sold at Costco stores sickened 162 people in 10 states between May and September, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) final report. The source of contamination was identified as pomegranate seeds imported from Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading in Turkey. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus. Sometimes those who are infected show no symptoms. For those who do become sick, symptoms usually develop two weeks after exposure and can last for months. They include mild fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, dark urine, clay colored stools and jaundice. People can be contagious up to 2 weeks before they even know they are sick, which is one of … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Sickens 162
The Townsend Farms hepatitis A outbreak has sickened 162 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That's one more case since the last update three weeks ago. Seventy one people have been hospitalized. The illnesses have been linked to a frozen berry mix made by Townsend Farms and sold at Costco stores. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC have determined pomegranate seeds from Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading in Turkey contaminated the berry mix. By state, the cases are as follows: Arizona (23), California (79), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The Wisconsin cases resulted from exposure to the product in California, the New Hampshire … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Sickens 161, 70 are Hospitalized
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to contaminated pomegranate seeds in Townsend Farms frozen berry mix has sickened 161 people in 10 states, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Seventy people have been hospitalized. By state, the case count is as follows: Arizona (23), California (78), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The Wisconsin cases resulted from exposure to the product in California, the New Hampshire cases resulted from reported fruit exposure during travel to Nevada, and the case reported in New Jersey was a household contact of a confirmed case from Colorado.] Six of the cases are household contacts of confirmed cases, or … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis Outbreak Winds Down
The Hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms frozen berries sold at Costco is winding down. As of August 16, 159 in 10 states have been sickened by the virus, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That's just one new case since that agency's last update two weeks ago. By state, the case count is as follows: Arizona (23), California (77), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (10), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The Wisconsin cases resulted from exposure to the product in California, the New Hampshire cases were expose during travel to Nevada, and the case reported in New Jersey was a household contact of a confirmed case from Colorado.. Six of the cases are secondary cases … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak: 158 Sick, 69 Hospitalized
The Hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms mixed berries sold at Costco stores has sickened 158 people and hospitalized 69 as of August 1, 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least six of the current cases are secondary infections, meaning they were exposed to the virus by a member of their household. The illnesses have been reported in 10 sates. By state, the case count is as follows: Arizona (23), California (77), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (9), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The Wisconsin cases resulted from exposure to the product in California, the New Hampshire cases were exposed during travel to Nevada, and the case reported in New Jersey was a household contact of … [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...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Reaches 150 Cases
The hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms berries sold at Costco stores has reached 150 cases. Consumers should check their freezers to make sure they do not have Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries. Fifty six precent of those sickened, who range in age from 1 to 84 years old, are women. Ten of the case patients are children under 18 who had not been vaccinated. By state, the case count is as follows: Arizona (22), California (74), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (8), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The Wisconsin cases resulted from exposure to the product in California.] Hepatits A is a contagious liver disease. Those infected do not always show symptoms which can take between two and six weeks to develop and include yellow … [Read more...]
