PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – A national outbreak of Cyclosporiasis, an illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite, has left thousands of people with severe diarrhea, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It can get into vegetables and other produce when there’s fecal contamination from livestock or people in the field or the area where it’s grown, and the eggs from the parasites sort of get into the produce and be dormant, and they’re very difficult to kill,” said Dr. Amber Thacker, Chief Medical Officer at HCA Gulf Coast Hospital.
The CDC reports more than 1,600 cases and 94 hospitalizations connected to the outbreak. More than 5,100 cases are under investigation in 34 states.
Cyclosporiasis has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The primary symptom of cyclosporiasis is explosive diarrhea, which can last up to a month, according to Dr. Thacker. Loss of appetite and dehydration can also occur.
Experts advise washing produce thoroughly and cooking it when possible.
“Produce is really the highest risk, so avoiding raw foods — cooking is the safest thing to do. We recommend that they cook their food, all foods, to at least 150 to 158 degrees,” Thacker said.
Thacker noted that while the illness is uncommon, it is difficult to trace once it spreads. “It’s very rare,” she said.
For residents in Florida, Thacker also recommends avoiding swimming near bodies of water close to sewage or farms to reduce the risk of possible contamination.
“When there’s not an outbreak, the risk of it is so low that typically we are not concerned with having to cook all vegetables, and we certainly encourage more vegetable eating, but right now I would limit it to only vegetables that can be cooked for people that are susceptible,” said Thacker.
Dr. Thacker says she hasn’t seen any cases of Cyclosporiasis at HCA.
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Dining and Cooking