Full shopping cart in supermarket aisle[/caption]
OFFICIALS are investigating a mysterious surge in hepatitis A cases believed to be linked to a supermarket item.
A total of 95 people have been left ill from the outbreak with a further 58 falling so ill they needed to be hospitalised.
The virus affects the liver (stock photo)[/caption]
Two clusters have been identified with recent cases being reported in March (stock photo)[/caption]
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed two separate clusters of the virus have been identified.
Officials have received reports of 54 cases since December 2024 and are now investigating the cause of the outbreak.
Patient interviews have indicated that the outbreak comes from a specific food item purchased from an unnamed supermarket.
A UKHSA report reads: “A particular food item purchased from a particular supermarket has emerged as a possible vehicle of transmission due to its frequent reported consumption.”
The product has not been named despite officials identifying it as a “possible vehicle of transmission.”
The first identified cluster saw 19 people hospitalised with the infection that affects the liver.
Most of the patients in the first cluster to be identified were between the ages of 50 and 69.
The second cluster saw a further 39 people requiring hospitalisation after catching the virus.
Cases related to the first cluster were identified between January 2021 and March 2025.
The latest wave of infections began in January 2023 with cases still being reported in March this year.
No deaths linked to the outbreak have been reported as of yet.
Public Health Scotland are leading the investigation alongside the UKHSA.
Hepatitis A begins with mild symptoms but can quickly develop into a more serious illness.
It causes weakness and fatigue, a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, fever jaundice and abdominal pain.
If left untreated the infection can lead to liver failure and can even be fatal.
The outbreaks have been linked to a food item[/caption]
Unlike hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A isn’t known to cause chronic liver disease.
Symptoms tend to develop within two months of infection but can go undetected for longer.
The NHS warns that children and some adults may have no symptoms.
In less extreme cases the virus usually clears up on its own within six months but doctors can prescribe medication to alleviate symptoms.
The UKHSA is continuing to investigate the recent outbreaks with an unnamed food item from an unnamed supermarket identified as a possible cause.
UKHSA officials have not stated the name of supermarket, or the food item.
The UKHSA report reads: “Given the reported lack of international travel in most cases, and implicated food items, further investigations into the possible sources of these clusters are in progress to inform control measures.”
The UKHSA has been contacted for comment.
The symptoms of hepatitis A you need to be aware of
Symptoms of Hepatitis A can include jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, dark-coloured urine and itchy skin.
This is because when your liver isn’t working properly, it stops being able to get rid of bilirubin, a substance that causes jaundice.
There may be earlier flu-like symptoms including mild fever, joint and muscle pain, feeling and being sick, diarrhoea and stomach pain.
Losing your appetite, feeling or being sick and pain in the upper right part of your tummy could also be a sign of the condition.
Not everyone infected will have all these symptoms.
Anyone with suspected hepatitis A infection should contact their GP and remain at home, until their GP advises their return to school or the workplace.
It is an unpleasant illness but is not usually serious and most people make a full recovery in two months.
However, it can last several months and also be deadly if it causes liver failure — when the organ stops working properly.
More information on hepatitis A can be found on the NHS website.
