Tag Archives: hepatitis A

LA Department of Public Health declares Hepatitis A Outbreak in Los Angeles County

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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In a Press Release, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has declared a community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A following a sustained increase in clinical cases and elevated virus levels detected in local wastewater. Public Health confirmed 165 hepatitis A cases in LA County since 2024, which is three times the number of cases reported in 2023.

Although unhoused individuals are at higher risk for contracting hepatitis A infection because they often have limited access to handwashing and toileting facilities, of the 29 hepatitis A cases confirmed to date in 2025, most have been among people without travel or housing risk factors. This increase in hepatitis A infections among people without risk factors has corresponded with recent increases in hepatitis A wastewater concentrations. “It is also important for residents to wash their hands with soap and water regularly and especially before eating and preparing food and after using the bathroom.”

While the risk to the general public remains low, community-wide protection actions are needed to ensure that transmission of hepatitis A is reduced.

“The ongoing increase in hepatitis A cases signals that quick action is needed to protect public health,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “The hepatitis A vaccine is safe, effective, and offers long-term protection. Getting vaccinated is simple, and it’s one of the most important things you can do for your own health and the health of our entire community. It is also important for residents to wash their hands with soap and water regularly and especially before eating and preparing food and after using the bathroom.”

Public Health continues to monitor for and immediately investigate suspect hepatitis A cases and is working closely with healthcare providers to request that they remain vigilant for hepatitis A. Public Health is also working with organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness to educate the community about the increase in hepatitis A, encourage people to get vaccinated, and recommend those with symptoms of hepatitis A to seek medical care.

Strawberries

FDA Is Focusing on Safety of Frozen Berries

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Strawberries

On July 22, the FDA announced that it is developing a food safety prevention strategy to enhance the safety of fresh and frozen berries. The move comes in response to multiple hepatitis A (HAV) and norovirus (NoV) outbreaks linked to the consumption of both fresh and frozen berries.

The FDA reports that there have been four HAV outbreaks and three NoV outbreaks linked to frozen berries from 1990 to 2016 in the U.S., and since 2011, there have been three HAV outbreaks linked to fresh berries, including a current outbreak linked to fresh organic strawberries.

In addition, from 1983 to 2018, there were 50 outbreaks globally that were attributed to frozen berries: 36 caused by NoV and 14 by HAV. The FDA noted that although freezing preserves berries it generally does not inactivate viruses that may be introduced at various points in the supply chain, such as by infected workers, contaminated water or contaminated food contact surfaces. In addition, fresh berries are generally eaten raw without a kill-step that could eliminate pathogens.

In August, the FDA plans to resume an assignment to collect and test frozen berries that it paused at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The assignment seeks to estimate the prevalence of HAV and NoV in frozen strawberries, raspberries and blackberries and help the FDA identify sites where practices or conditions may exist that constitute safety vulnerabilities.

The FDA also plans to work collaboratively with industry, academia and regulatory partners in the development of a food safety prevention strategy to identify measures that can be taken to limit or prevent contamination from occurring throughout the berry supply chain, approaches to re-enforce control measures and their application as well as areas where additional research is needed.