Infections from a parasite that causes diarrhea and other health issues have been reported in more than half the states in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thirty-one states have at least one case of cyclosporiasis, the CDC said on July 10, in its first update on the outbreak in more than a week.
The states are: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Cases in Michigan have been spiking the quickest. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said on July 13 that there are 2,640 cases, including 44 that required hospitalization—up from 1,251 several days prior.
The CDC said that as of July 9, only 843 cases across the country have been reported to it but that it is aware of more than 1,500 other suspected cases that require further analysis to confirm that the illnesses are indeed cyclosporiasis. State data may include both confirmed and suspected cases.
The CDC, other federal agencies, and state partners are working to identify the source or sources of the outbreak, the public health agency said.
Michigan officials said they have not pinpointed what is causing the spread of cyclospora, the parasite that causes cyclosporiasis.
“Trying to find these gastrointestinal outbreaks and where the source is is very, very hard, because it’s so diffuse,” Dr. Peter Gulick, an infectious disease expert in Michigan, told The Epoch Times. “It’s just creeping all over.”
Cyclosporiasis cases typically occur each year. Past outbreaks have been caused by contaminated raw produce, such as lettuce, raspberries, and scallions.
Authorities in Michigan and elsewhere are recommending that people wash their hands before and after preparing fruit and vegetables. They say that people and entities preparing raw produce should avoid bagged lettuce and salad mixes. They also say that in dealing with whole heads of lettuce and other produce such as cilantro and raspberries, people should wash the produce thoroughly, remove any bruised and damaged portions before consuming, and consider cooking the produce into jam or in meals.
Gulick said he is not eating salad for now as a precautionary measure. He also recommends that people who want to continue eating raw produce wash it in vinegar.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis include loose, watery stool and abdominal pain. Diagnosis typically involves testing stool samples. Antibiotics are usually the preferred treatment.
