The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed Tuesday 12 cases of Hepatitis A connected to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries purchased from Costco stores.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 49 people are ill with acute Hepatitis A throughout the country. Colorado has 12 cases under investigation from eight counties. Those include: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso and Jefferson, according to a Tuesday news release from the state health department.
Other states reporting these cases are Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah, the release states.
The product, which contains cherries, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, raspberries and strawberries, has been removed from Costco’s shelves.
The first reports of people becoming ill occurred April 29 and the most recent on May 24. On average, it takes 30 days to become ill with Hepatitis A after eating contaminated food.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A include mild fever, vomiting, nausea fatigue, pain in the upper right side of the abdomen and jaundice, and typically appear two to six weeks after exposure.
Hepatitis A is a liver disease. Mild cases can last a few weeks, with more severe cases lasting several months.
The Hepatitis A vaccine can prevent infection if given within 14 days of exposure, but some people should receive immune globulin instead of the vaccine, the release states.
Those who consumed the mix within the past 14 days should discuss with their doctor whether they should receive the vaccine or immune globulin, according to the release.
Those already revaccinated from Hepatitis A do not need to be revaccinated, the release states.
Ryan Parker: 303-954-2409, rparker@denverpost.com or
