Cyclospora outbreaks are on the rise, with over 11,500 confirmed and suspected cases across 41 states. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that these cases were acquired in the US, rather than from travel abroad, making this year unusual.
Investigations Underway
The FDA has launched investigations into six outbreaks, with the largest being a nine-state outbreak in the Midwest believed to be linked to iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico. The FDA is also looking into another cluster of 72 related cases that doesn’t yet have a known source.
According to Dr. Mark Moorman, who recently retired as director of the Office of Food Safety at the US Food and Drug Administration, humans are the source of cyclospora. However, investigators have never definitively identified the cause of an outbreak.
Challenges in Investigation
Cyclospora outbreaks are difficult to investigate due to the parasite itself. People who ingest tainted food or water don’t get sick right away, and it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to start. By the time people realize their symptoms aren’t going away and seek medical attention, it may be three weeks to a month after exposure.
Lab testing a stool sample to confirm the illness also takes time. Then, the case has to be reported to a local health department, which has to call the person to interview them about what they might have been exposed to.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
