Health officials in Michigan have identified lettuce or salad greens as a possible source of a recent cyclosporiasis outbreak. This illness is caused by the cyclospora parasite, spread through food or water contaminated with feces. While officials suggested lettuce could be a source, they noted it wasn’t certain and other foods might be involved. No specific grower or supplier has been named.
As of Monday evening, Michigan reported 2,640 cases and 44 hospitalizations, marking a 69 percent increase from Friday. This is the highest number reported in the state within a single year, where typically 40 to 50 cases are recorded annually.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said other states, including New York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, also have higher than normal cases of cyclospora. The CDC’s latest data includes at least 843 confirmed illnesses across 31 states and 86 hospitalizations. Health experts suggest these figures might be undercounts due to reporting delays and confirmation processes.
The New York Times confirmed over 4,800 cases of cyclospora this year. Since 2016, the CDC noted an average of about 2,800 cases nationwide each year. Caitlin Rivers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said this year could set a new record for cyclosporiasis cases in the U.S.
Leave a Reply