Hepatitis A virus

Description and health risks:

Symptoms of hepatitis A can range from mild to severe: depending on the case, patients may experience fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin). Not all infected people experience all of these symptoms at once, and they usually appear within 14 to 28 days. These symptoms may be more severe in frail or elderly people.

People who have consumed a contaminated product and are experiencing symptoms should seek medical advice and disclose their exposure. Symptoms may vary from person to person and may vary in severity depending on the extent of infection.

What foods are concerned?

On the one hand, there are foods that can be contaminated during production, such as those grown by irrigation or immersed in contaminated water, like bivalve shellfish, fruit (raspberries, strawberries, etc.) and raw vegetables (carrots, parsley, fennel, green onions, tomatoes, etc.). On the other hand, there are foods that can be contaminated when handled by an infected person, especially if hygiene precautions are not taken. This can involve any type of food eaten raw or undercooked.