KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Cases of cyclosporiasis continue to multiply across the country, and the state of Missouri’s count is no different.
As of Thursday morning, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has reported 80 cases of the disease this week, which has been linked to “explosive diarrhea” across the country.
Days ago, the case number was 43.
Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a type of food poisoning called cyclosporiasis. The most notable symptom people report is frequent, watery diarrhea. This is different than the occasional diarrhea and should be taken seriously, the health department stated.
The state of Kansas has listed 55 cases of the disease, with 25 of those in Johnson County.
Previous outbreaks have been linked to basil, bagged salads, lettuce mixes, cilantro, parsley, raspberries, snow peas and sweet peas. Always wash any fruits or vegetables before eating, cutting or cooking them to reduce your risk of disease. Cook produce to 158° to kill the Cyclospora parasite.
What experts say
Dr. Dana Hawkinson with the University of Health System said cases of the parasite occur every year, but rarely at the current scale.
“The source is probably somewhere in the environment that we have not found yet,” Hawkinson said. “That gets on food products, mostly fresh food products. It gets contaminated and then people ingest it.”
Hawkinson said rinsing food under running water with gentle pressure can help, but cautioned it is not a guaranteed method of removal.
“You can rinse your food off and wash it under water, maybe applying some gentle pressure,” Hawkinson said. “But even then, it is not foolproof that it will remove the parasites from that food.”
Experts said cooking fruits and vegetables is a more effective method of eliminating the parasite than washing alone.
Case counts and projections
Nathan Koffarnus, an epidemiologist with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said the number of cases is expected to continue rising.
“We do expect that number to more than double over the course of this week, just based on the number of lab reports and things that are coming in,” Koffarnus said.
In Michigan, where case counts are currently the highest at more than 4,000, health officials said the cause has not been determined. Though officials there are urging extra caution with salad greens and lettuce.
Johnson County cases
Charlie Hunt, director of the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, said the county typically sees fewer than two dozen cases a year.
“We typically see somewhere between 15 and 20 cases in an entire year,” Hunt said. “We have 25 confirmed cases as of right now, and we’re only at the end of July.”
Hunt said officials are monitoring developments in Michigan as Kansas case counts grow. He said the illness is particularly concerning for vulnerable populations.
“This is particularly important for people who are older or who have compromised immune systems, a chronic condition that makes them more susceptible to the disease,” Hunt said.
Hunt said symptoms typically involve diarrhea that could lead to serious dehydration, though the illness does not usually require medical attention.
“So I think eventually the source will be found,” Hunt said. “But right now we have to fall back on kind of those common sense precautions.”
Additional local case counts
Eastern Jackson County health officials said their cases are up, typically averaging five per year. Officials there have confirmed 14 total cases. Platte County health officials reported one case this year, identified as travel-related.
HCA Midwest Health told KCTV since early July they’ve evaluated, treated or tested more than 120 patients with symptoms that align with the infection. Those patients have been treated at 11 emergency departments and 15 CareNow Urgent Care centers, according to HCA Midwest Health.
Steps Being Taken
As that was taking place, fast-food giant Taco Bell issued a statement acknowledging it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.”
Symptoms of the cyclosporiasis occur two to 14 days after exposure and may include:
frequent watery diarrhealoss of appetite and weightabdominal cramps and bloatingnausealow-grade fever
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