1887
Rapid communication Open Access
Like 0

Abstract

We report a national hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak linked to the consumption of Medjool dates. Twenty-nine cases of three genetically related sequences have been identified. Epidemiological investigations identified a suspected product (adjusted odds ratio: 47.36; 95% confidence interval: 1.79–1,256.07; p = 0.021). Microbiological testing has confirmed the presence of HAV on dates recovered from two cases and the product has been recalled. Date consumption is currently likely to be increased in connection with Ramadan, with potential ongoing contamination risk.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2100432
2021-05-20
2024-12-03
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2100432
Loading
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/eurosurveillance/26/20/eurosurv-26-20-2.html?itemId=/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2100432&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Food Standards Agency (FSA). Sainsbury’s recalls Taste the Difference Medjool dates because of possible contamination with hepatitis A. London: FSA; 13 April 2021. Available from https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-25-2021
  2. Public Health England (PHE). Public health control and management of hepatitis A; 2017 Guidelines. London: PHE; 2017. Contract No.: 2017126. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/727411/Public_health_control_and_management_of_hepatitis_A_2017.pdf
  3. Kroneman A, de Sousa R, Verhoef L, Koopmans MPG, Vennema H, on behalf of the HAVNet Network. Usability of the international HAVNet hepatitis A virus database for geographical annotation, backtracing and outbreak detection. Euro Surveill. 2018;23(37):1700802.  https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.37.1700802  PMID: 30229723 
  4. Franklin N, Camphor H, Wright R, Stafford R, Glasgow K, Sheppeard V. Outbreak of hepatitis A genotype IB in Australia associated with imported frozen pomegranate arils. Epidemiol Infect. 2019;147:e74.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268818003515  PMID: 30869018 
  5. Fournet N, Baas D, van Pelt W, Swaan C, Ober H, Isken L, et al. Another possible food-borne outbreak of hepatitis A in the Netherlands indicated by two closely related molecular sequences, July to October 2011. Euro Surveill. 2012;17(6):20079.  https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.17.06.20079-en  PMID: 22340976 
  6. Gallot C, Grout L, Roque-Afonso AM, Couturier E, Carrillo-Santisteve P, Pouey J, et al. Hepatitis A associated with semidried tomatoes, France, 2010. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17(3):566-7.  https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1703.101479  PMID: 21392466 
  7. Carvalho C, Thomas H, Balogun K, Tedder R, Pebody R, Ramsay M, et al. A possible outbreak of hepatitis A associated with semi-dried tomatoes, England, July-November 2011. Euro Surveill. 2012;17(6):20083.  https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.17.06.20083-en  PMID: 22340975 
  8. Gossner CM, Severi E. Three simultaneous, food-borne, multi-country outbreaks of hepatitis A virus infection reported in EPIS-FWD in 2013: what does it mean for the European Union? Euro Surveill. 2014;19(43):20941.  https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES2014.19.43.20941  PMID: 25375903 
  9. Enkirch T, Eriksson R, Persson S, Schmid D, Aberle SW, Löf E, et al. Hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported frozen strawberries by sequencing, Sweden and Austria, June to September 2018. Euro Surveill. 2018;23(41):1800528.  https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.41.1800528  PMID: 30326994 
  10. Rajiuddin SM, Midgley SE, Jensen T, Müller L, Schultz AC. Application of an optimized direct lysis method for viral RNA extraction linking contaminated dates to infection with hepatitis A virus. Front Microbiol. 2020;11:516445.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.516445  PMID: 33042044 
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.20.2100432
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Submit comment
Close
Comment moderation successfully completed
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error