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The FDA issued a consumer advisory that hepatitis A outbreaks have been linked to green onions.  According to lab information, the contaminated onions came from Mexico and the federal government has since stopped imports of Mexican green onions as a result. 

There have now been 530 confirmed cases of hepatitis A in what is being called the largest hepatitis A outbreak ever documented in the nation''s history.  The hepatitis A outbreaks have so far affected areas of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia in September, and the latest outbreak of hepatitis A has affected a Chi-Chi''s diner in Pennsylvania during late October and early November. 

The Chi-Chi''s diner was most likely infected by the hepatitis A liver disease in late September to mid-October according to officials.  Hepatitis A develops within 6 weeks of an exposure.        

The Chi-Chi''s Mexican restaurant has since closed due to the outbreaks, though some hepatitis A victims have already filed lawsuits against the restaurant.  There have been three deaths resulting from the hepatitis A outbreak in western Pennsylvania and have shocked many residents who did not know hepatitis A could be fatal. 

Authorities are informing concerned consumers that hepatitis A is not usually fatal and will normally run its course within a few weeks.  Characterized by fever, jaundice, nausea, abdominal pain, as well as other symptoms, hepatitis A can be better prevented by more strictly enforcing health standards like washing hands.  There have been 8,992 people inoculated because of the Chi-Chi''s hepatitis A outbreak.     

The FDA has been criticized for waiting until November 15^th to warn of the hepatitis A outbreaks linked to green onions.  According to the director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the FDA should not have waited to inform consumers of the dangers of eating green onions raw or lightly cooked in light of the hepatitis A outbreaks months before in the South.  The director criticized the FDA for waiting until people became sick with hepatitis A in Pennsylvania as well to issue the warning.

Agency officials responded to the criticism by stating the hepatitis A advisory could not have been issued earlier because the FDA did not yet have trace-back information about the source of the onions in the Southern hepatitis A outbreaks.  The FDA, CDS, and the States are still investigating and monitoring the hepatitis A situation.