Strawberries from Poland: Hepatitis An outbreak has erupted! Frozen strawberries from Poland infected with pathogens

According to this statement, 20 cases of hepatitis A were recorded in Sweden until October 9, of which 17 are undoubtedly detected in the laboratory. According to reports, ten of the infected people had eaten strawberries.

In Austria, hepatitis broke out in July with at least 14 patients with identical pathogens. Strawberries had entered the country through a wholesaler and had been distributed to several local producers and ice cream producers in Italy.

That's what the Robert Koch Institute says about hepatitis A:

infection: Transmission is fecal-oral by contact or by smear infection, either in the context of close personal contact, e.g. in kindergarten or in the common household, or badual contact – especially between men – as well as food, water or contaminated utensils. Epidemics in several countries have been most often caused by contaminated drinking water, bathing water or contaminated food, especially shellfish or oysters, as well as vegetables and salads fertilized with raw materials. faeces. Blood and blood products transfer (also used repeatedly with syringes in drug users) during the viremia phase, which may last several weeks, has been described.

incubation period: About 15 to 50 days (usually 25 to 30 days).

Duration of infectivity: Sick people are contagious one to two weeks before and up to one week after the onset of jaundice or Transaminasenerhöhung. Infected infants may be infected with the virus. In the stool for several weeks. Clinical Symptoms The course of HAV infection is often subclinical or asymptomatic, especially in children. The prodromal symptoms are manifested by non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms and general malaise. Occasionally, temperature increases may exist. It can be followed by the icteric phase, which lasts from a few days to several weeks. There is a hypertrophy of the liver and in about 25% of patients, hypertrophy of the spleen. Signs of cholestasis may develop. Frequent skin itching, sometimes even transient scarlatiniform rashes, occurs during the next recovery phase, which helps normalize the subjective state and results of laboratory diagnoses. You can contract up to 10 % of diseases badociated with hepatitis A that can last for several months but heal without complications. In total, 0.01 to 0.1% of patients have fulminant, then predominantly lethal, outcomes, the incidence of which increases with age and is particularly noticeable in those who have already suffered (such as patients). with chronic hepatitis B or C). The infection leaves immunity for life.

diagnostic: In patients with hepatitis A, there is usually a significant increase in transaminases, direct and indirect bilirubin in the serum and urobilinogen in the urine. new infection with HAV. These antibodies are already detectable at the beginning of the first symptoms (detection period of about 3 to 4 months). Anti-HAV-IgM antibodies may be detectable for a short time, even after vaccination against hepatitis A. In addition, anti-HAV IgG are already predominantly positive at the onset of symptoms; otherwise, detection of anti-HAV IgG indicates earlier infection or vaccination and thus immunity. Detection of HAV antigen by means of an ELISA test in stool or HAV RNA (eg, by PCR) in stool or blood is possible and proves that ## STR1 ## 39, it is a new infection with HAV. HAV genome sequencing done only in specialized laboratories can contribute to the clarification of infection chains in the event of an epidemic. Therapy Specific treatment against hepatitis A does not exist. Symptomatic measures include bed rest and treatment of general symptoms (vomiting, flu-like symptoms). Potentially toxic drugs for the liver should not be administered. The important thing is absolute abstinence from alcohol. At first, a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet should be given. Strict dietary measures are not necessary: ​​in most patients with hepatitis A, hospitalization is not necessary if they are adequately cared for at home. The extent to which bed rest needs to be maintained depends on the condition of the patient. Strict bed rest is usually not necessary.