North Carolina is experiencing an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a diarrheal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. With over 300 cases reported across multiple counties, health officials are working to identify the source of the outbreak.
Investigation Ongoing
While Michigan health officials have identified lettuce as a possible source of the outbreak in their state, North Carolina has not yet made a similar connection. According to Ellen Shumaker, a food safety expert with NC State, the state’s cases may be linked to different food products or batches of lettuce.
Chef Jake Wolf with Empire Eats in downtown Raleigh has taken extra precautions to protect customers, including doubling down on food handling procedures and sourcing produce locally. However, health experts warn that washing fresh produce alone may not be enough to eliminate the Cyclospora parasite.
Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.
