A nasty gastrointestinal bug is rapidly spreading in several states, with more than 700 cases confirmed in Michigan over the last few weeks. The demand for tests for cyclosporiasis, a pathogen often caused by contaminated fresh produce, is so intense, with so many patients seeking help for diarrhea and crippling abdominal cramps, that many labs can’t keep up.
Investigation Ongoing
The source of the fast-moving illnesses is unknown, although the Food and Drug Administration said an investigation is ongoing. Cases in Michigan could easily reach 1,000, said Dr. Anurag Malani, vice chief of staff at Trinity Health Ann Arbor. “There are many more cases that are yet to come.”
Meanwhile, health officials are scrambling to figure out what people are eating that’s making them sick. “We’re pulling people’s grocery shopping lists,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the state of Michigan. Staff, she said, are working overtime as cases have increased precipitously in recent weeks: 708 cases over the course of about 10 days.
Cyclosporiasis cases tend to increase during the summer, usually between May 1 and Aug. 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases are centered in the southeastern part of Michigan, although illnesses have also been reported in Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois and New Jersey, among others.
Symptoms and Treatment
Symptoms include explosive, watery diarrhea. People may also have unusually bad gas, stomach cramps, nausea and loss of appetite. Cyclosporiasis does not spread from person to person, unlike norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that usually runs its course in a few days. Left untreated, cyclosporiasis can linger for weeks. It’s treated with an antibiotic, usually Bactrim.
Rinsing produce can reduce the risk for cyclosporiasis but doesn’t eliminate it. The parasite, cyclospora, “clings to produce,” Dr. Brian Kaminski said. Michigan health officials are encouraging people to buy whole heads of lettuce and remove outer leaves where there could be contamination before washing it.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut (Hartford) — read the source article.
