Hepatitis A cases linked to smoothie chain stores triple

More than 50 people have been infected with hepatitis A after drinking smoothies made with contaminated Egyptian strawberries at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in Virginia.

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus and it is highly contagious.

A hepatitis A outbreak connected to frozen strawberries used in Tropical Smoothie Café products has not affected Pennsylvania stores, a company spokeswoman said Thursday.

Update: Hepatitis A cases linked to strawberry smoothies sold at various restaurants have now been reported in six states.

“VDH was actively engaged in looking at case data, food histories, patient interviews, food distribution chains, food handling practices, etc.in order to accurately define the risk so that we could communicate it to the public”, Forlano wrote in a Wednesday email response.

In Virginia, the state health department traced the infection to an employee at the Tropical Smoothie Café in Gainesville.

Health officials confirmed a total 44 infections in Virginia, where the outbreak first appeared.

“You get it from some sort of fecal/oral contamination”.

In an earlier statement, company officials said the Egyptian strawberries accounted for a small portion of the company’s overall supply. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin or eyes, fever and nausea. Most commonly, we get hepatitis A from contaminated foods.

Frequent hand washing with soap and warm water after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, or before preparing food can help prevent the spread of Hepatitis A.

Officials said jaundice is a clear indicator of hepatitis.

The majority of children who become infected with hepatitis A show no signs of illness, according to the CDC, though more than 80 percent of adults will experience symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration are leading the outbreak investigation nationally.