FDA investigating new outbreak of hepatitis A infections; patient counts in other outbreaks increasing

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a new outbreak of hepatitis A infections, but has not yet determined the source of the pathogen.

As of the posting of the outbreak announcement, there were five confirmed patients. The FDA has not reported where the patients live or how old they are. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not revealed what foods are being traced.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable, liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV). The virus is frequently transmitted through food or food workers.

Not everyone with hepatitis A has symptoms. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms develop, they usually appear two to seven weeks, at an average of 28-30 days, after infection. Symptoms usually last less than two months, although some people can be ill for as long as six months.

If symptoms develop, they can include yellow skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, upset stomach, throwing up, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light-colored stools, diarrhea, joint pain and/or feeling tired.

Even if no symptoms are present people can still spread the infection. In addition, a person can transmit hepatitis A to others up to two weeks before symptoms appear.

In other outbreak news, patient counts for three  outbreaks have increased.

For an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis, the patient count has increased to 66, up from 59 a week ago. The FDA has not reported the patients ages or where they live. The agency first posted the recall on April 23. The FDA has not yet identified the source of the pathogen, but it has begun traceback efforts. The agency has not reported what food or foods are being traced.

For a separate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections, the patient count has increased to 26, up from 24 a week ago. The FDA has not reported the ages of the patients or where they live. The agency has not yet identified the source of the pathogen. It has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food or foods are being traced. The FDA first reported the outbreak on April 23.

For an outbreak of infections from Listeria monocytogenes, the patient count has increased 16, up from 15 a week ago. The FDA has not yet determined the source of the pathogen. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food is being traced. The agency has also begun an onsite inspection and sample testing but has not reported what location it is inspecting or what is being tested. The FDA first reported the outbreak on April 9. It can take up to 70 days for symptoms of Listeria infection to manifest.

For another outbreak of infections from Listeria monocytogenes the FDA has begun traceback efforts but has not said what food it is tracing. The outbreak, first reported on April 30, has sickened 10 people. The FDA has not reported how old the patients are or where they live.

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