Cyclosporiasis cases continued to skyrocket in the Midwest, and while it may be hard to tell the difference between the parasitic infections and other forms of food poisoning, there are some distinguishing symptoms.
As of Wednesday, Michigan health officials reported 992 confirmed cases since June 22. Just two days earlier, numbers sat at 681.
In Illinois, health officials confirmed at least 150 cases though no single source has been determined so far.
“The [Illinois Department of Public Health] continues to work with the CDC and other public health partners to look for trends, as states across the country are seeing a rise in seasonal cases,” IDPH said in a statement to NBC Chicago.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis
While the most common and notable symptom of the infection is known as “explosive diarrhea,” there are numerous other signs of infection, though none stand out as particularly unique compared to other foodborne illnesses.
“The first thing is explosive diarrhea, bloating, cramping, loss of appetite,” Dr. Sharon Welbel, chair of infectious diseases for Cook County Health, said. “Some people have a low-grade fever but that’s pretty uncommon.”
One of the larger indications of cyclosporiasis is likely the timing of infection and symptoms.
While many other foodborne illnesses will show symptoms within hours, cyclosporiasis can take days or even up to two weeks to appear. The most common time frame is around one week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It can also last much longer than other infections.
“The symptoms are a bit less, but they go on longer. Noroviruses kind of hits you hard and then it’s done. This kind of just drags on for a longer period of time,” Dr. Irfan Hafiz, an infectious disease physician at Northwestern Medicine, told NBC Chicago.
The CDC notes that the illness can last anywhere from a few days to over a month and, in some cases, may even seem to go away but then return one or more times.
Here’s a look at how it compares to other illnesses:
Germ– Symptoms – When they start
Staphylococcus aureus (Staph food poisoning) – Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea – 30 minutes to 8 hours
Vibrio – Watery diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, chills – Within 24 hours
Clostridium perfringens – Diarrhea, stomach cramps that last for less than 24 hours (vomiting and fever are not common) – 6 to 24 hours
Salmonella – Diarrhea (can be bloody), fever, stomach cramps, vomiting – 6 hours to 6 days
Norovirus – Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain. Fever, headache, and body aches are also possible – 12 to 48 hours
Clostridium botulinum (Botulism) – Difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and difficulty moving eyes – Symptoms start in the head and move down as the illness gets worse – 18 to 36 hours
Campylobacter – Diarrhea (often bloody), fever, stomach cramps – 2 to 5 days
E. coli (Escherichia coli) – Severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting – Long-term effects: Around 5–10% of people diagnosed with E. coli develop a life-threatening health problem called hemolytic uremic syndrome – 3 to 4 days
Cyclospora – Watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea, fatigue – 1 week
Listeria (invasive illness) – Fever and flu-like symptoms (such as muscle aches and fatigue), headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures – 2 weeks
Cause of infection
Health officials have noted that U.S. cases of cyclosporiasis have previously come from contaminated produce and are urging residents to take extra precautions when cleaning fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Infections do not spread from human to human, but can spread via contaminated food or water.
Health officials said the parasite is most common during the spring and summer months, leading to a potential spike in cases, however the recent surge is unusual.
According to Michigan health officials, the following foods have been linked to outbreaks in the past in the U.S. and Canada:
- Bagged salad mixes and kits (pre-cut lettuce blends with romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, carrots)
- Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
- Fresh basil
- Raspberries
- Snow peas
- Green onions (scallions)
“Some of the common things that have been implicated in the past are certain herbs like garlic, cilantro, probably because it’s harder to clean those,” Welbel said. “Berries, particularly raspberries, again harder to clean them because they’re so fragile, as well as mixed greens.”
The health department issued an alert asking “entities in Southeast Michigan who are preparing, processing, or serving raw produce, including restaurants and other commercial kitchens” to take the following precautions:
- Lettuce/leafy greens: buy whole heads of lettuce (rather than prewashed, bagged lettuce or salad mixes), throw away the outer 2–3 layers of leaves and wash the inner leaves under running water. For leafy greens that can be cooked, cooking is the safest option.
- Cilantro, basil: Wash thoroughly under running water, separating the leaves. Safest when cooked.
- Green onions: Trim the root end and remove the outer layer, wash thoroughly under running water. Safest when cooked.
- Raspberries: Their bumpy surface makes them especially hard to clean; the parasite can hide in the tiny crevices. Safest when cooked (pies, jams etc.). Consider frozen raspberries as an alternative (freezing may reduce but does not guarantee elimination of the parasite).
- Snow peas: Wash under running water and rub the surface. Safest when cooked.
Welbel suggested people soak “delicate things” like basil or cilantro for a while.
Other suggestions from officials include:
- Cook when you can. Heating food to 158°F or higher kills cyclospora.
- Wash all fresh produce under clean running water, even if you plan to peel it.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/NyhwumS
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