Hepatitis at Tropical Smoothie: Employee Tests Positive at Gainesville Location

GAINESVILLE, VA — An employee at a Gainesville location of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, the latest in a growing number of cases in Virginia involving the smoothie chain, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

The person is an employee of the cafe at 8069 Stonewall Shops Square in Gainesville. Officials say anyone who visited that Tropical Smoothie Cafe from July 28-Aug. 18 may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

Health officials say anyone who ate or drank anything from the cafe on August 12-18 may still benefit from vaccine or immune globulin to prevent hepatitis A if received within two weeks of the date of exposure.

Susceptible individuals who ate or drank anything at the restaurant on those dates, say officials, should contact their health care providers or contact the Prince William Health District information line at 703-792-6345. The vaccine is available at various urgent care clinics and at the Prince William Health District.

Genetic testing shows the illnesses were caused by a strain of hepatitis A that has been associated with past outbreaks due to frozen strawberries from Egypt. Upon learning of the potential link to strawberries, Tropical Smoothie Cafe immediately conducted a voluntary product withdrawal of all strawberries sourced from Egypt and found an alternate supply.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Mike Rotondo apologized for the possibly tainted strawberries at Tropical Smoothie Cafe that has resulted in at least 35 people in Virginia contracting Hepatitis A, as of Friday. The company released this video of the apology:

The number of those in Virginia who have reported Hepatitis A as a result of consuming a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe is now up to 35, according to the Virginia Department of Health, which released the latest numbers Friday at noon.

Fourteen of those cases are reported in the Northern Virginia suburbs. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has many locations in the Northern Virginia area, including in Ashburn, Reston, Oakton, Dunn Loring, Falls Church, Arlington, Alexandria, Leesburg and Fredericksburg.

A Loudoun County man is suing Tropical Smoothie Cafe, seeking $100,000 after he drank smoothies that he claims resulted in Hepatitis A symptoms, according to the Virginian-Pilot.

Mary Ann Barton contributed to this post

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