The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A cases and has identified a potential association with smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Café restaurants in Virginia.
On August 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified VDH that genetic testing of multiple ill persons showed the illnesses were caused by a strain of hepatitis A that had been associated with past outbreaks due to frozen strawberries from Egypt. Frozen Egyptian strawberries used at Tropical Smoothie Café are thought to be the source of this outbreak. This product has been removed from use at all Tropical Smoothie locations in Virginia.
As of 12:00 pm on *August 29, 2016, 40 Virginia residents who had tested positive for hepatitis A reported consuming a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Café prior to becoming ill. Approximately 55% of the residents, for whom information is available, have been hospitalized for their illness. The 40 ill residents range in age from 15-68. Onsets of illness for the 40 cases range from early May through mid-August. The common exposure shared by ill persons was not hypothesized until August, at which time VDH re-interviewed persons reported earlier in the year to confirm the link with smoothie consumption.
The investigation into this outbreak is ongoing.
