Federal and state health officials are searching for the source of a food-borne parasitic illness that has sickened at least 145 people in 17 states, with separate investigations underway in Michigan and New York.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with state and local health officials to identify the source of rising U.S. cases of cyclosporiasis, a food-borne parasitic illness that can cause severe watery diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
In its latest update Wednesday, the CDC said it had received reports of 145 domestically acquired cyclosporiasis cases in 17 states. The illnesses involved people who became sick between May 1 and June 16.
At least 20 people have been hospitalized, according to the CDC. No deaths have been reported.
Cyclosporiasis is typically not considered life-threatening and can be treated with antibiotics. The illness is caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, according to the CDC. The parasite can spread through raw produce or water contaminated with human feces.
The CDC said there was no immediate evidence connecting all reported cases to one multistate outbreak. Investigators are working to identify possible clusters and sources of illness in multiple states.
The most commonly reported symptom is “watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC. Other symptoms can include cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, low-grade fever and vomiting.
Michigan health officials are separately investigating what they described as an unusually large and growing outbreak. As of Friday, the state had reported more than 170 cases from June 22 through July 1, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The state said it usually identifies about 50 cyclosporiasis cases in an entire year.
“Based on the unusual number of cases we have identified in a little over a week, we anticipate additional cases of illness being reported,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said Wednesday in a news release. “We recommend Michiganders contact their healthcare provider if they experience sudden, ongoing diarrhea and reach out to their local health department if additional members of their family are suffering from the same symptoms.”
New York has also reported a rise in cases. Since Jan. 1, there have been 112 confirmed cases in New York state, excluding New York City, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported Friday, citing preliminary data from the state health department. Of those cases, 107 have been reported since May 1.
In New York City, health officials said the number of cases reported from January through June was about twice as high as during the same period last year, The New York Times reported Thursday.
Cyclosporiasis cases typically increase each year from May 1 through Aug. 31, according to the CDC. Most people recover without treatment, though antibiotics may be used for some cases.
The CDC recommends several steps to reduce the risk of illness from contaminated produce. Those include washing hands before and after handling fruits and vegetables, rinsing produce thoroughly under running water, scrubbing firm items such as melons and cucumbers, cutting away damaged areas and refrigerating cut produce promptly.
The agency said fruits and vegetables labeled “prewashed” do not need to be washed again at home.
Health officials continue to investigate possible food sources and clusters while urging people with sudden or persistent diarrhea to contact a healthcare provider, especially if others in the same household develop similar symptoms.
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