The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s offices in Atlanta were photographed in 2022. The agency is investigating a rise in cyclosporiasis cases.
It’s common for cyclosporiasis infections to surge in the spring and summer, but the CDC said Friday that several states have reported a larger jump in cases over the past two weeks than the same period last year.
Federal health officials have found outbreaks of the intestinal disease that causes diarrhoea, nausea, and fatigue in 31 states, but the source is still under investigation.
As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had received reports of 843 cases of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal disease caused by the parasite. Cyclospora.
But the actual number of infections is likely much higher, as the figure only represents cases reported directly to the CDC by states. There is also a lag between symptom onset and reporting, and many people recover from the disease without medical treatment. Michigan alone reported 1,562 cases of cyclosporiasis as of Friday.
As of Thursday, there were 86 hospitalisations nationwide and no deaths, according to the CDC.
People can contract this disease by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce. In 2018, McDonald’s removed lettuce from restaurants in 14 states after federal health officials linked it to dozens of cases of cyclosporiasis, and tainted lettuce imported from Mexico was suspected of sickening 400 people in the US in 2013.
Where are cyclosporiasis infections occurring?
Health officials from California to Texas and Florida have reported cases of cyclosporiasis since early May.
Some of the hardest-hit areas appear to be in the Midwest and Northeast, including Michigan and New York.
The Ohio Department of Health reported 177 cyclosporiasis cases as of July 2, the majority of which occurred in June. Ohio Department of Health Director Dr Bruce Vanderhoff said cyclosporiasis is a “serious disease that can cause dehydration and require people to seek emergency medical care, and it should be taken seriously.”
According to the CDC, the age of people suffering from this disease ranges between 5 and 88 years.
Due to an estimated six-week lag between the onset of illnesses and their reporting to federal health officials, the total number of cases nationwide is expected to rise.
What is the cause of the outbreak?
The cause is still unclear. The CDC says it is continuing its efforts to identify the source or sources of the recent surge in cyclosporiasis infections.
Investigators do their work in part by interviewing people who have become ill to find out what they ate. But then symptoms may appear between two days and two weeks or more after a person becomes infected; they may not remember everything they ate during that period.
previous US outbreaks According to the Food and Drug Administration, cyclosporiasis has been linked to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas and lettuce.
How to Prevent Cyclosporiasis
Cooking food is an effective way to avoid infection, as heating food to temperatures of 158 degrees Fahrenheit or higher results in death. Cyclospora.
Public health officials also recommend that people thoroughly wash all their fresh produce, including herbs, even if there are parasites. difficult to wash.
It is also important for home cooks to follow standard food safety rules, such as washing their hands with soap and water before and after handling fresh produce.
Anyone who suspects they have become ill with cyclosporiasis and is experiencing dehydration or severe diarrhoea should see a doctor. Cyclosporiasis infection is usually treated with antibiotics.
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