A person is shown washing lettuce in this file photo.
Eduardo Justiniano/AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Cyclosporiasis cases in the Houston area are rising — but Houstonians shouldn’t be worried, experts say.
The parasitic infection, whose Houston area case count this year is now at least 40, can trigger watery diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and flu-like symptoms. However, Houston is not at the center of the outbreak. Federal officials said they believe cases in four states — Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia — are linked to the national rise, on Tuesday.
How many cyclospora cases has Harris County had this year?
Harris County Public Health has confirmed 24 cases of cyclospora within its jurisdiction as of Wednesday, up from the 18 cases the department reported a week before. The Houston Health Department reported 16 confirmed cases in the city of Houston on July 8, and did not respond to requests for an updated count.
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A Harris County Public Health spokesperson said the area typically sees an increase in infections during the summer months, as cyclospora cases rise seasonally from April to August. However, the number of cases under the department’s jurisdiction this year is higher than it’s seen at this point during the past two years.
The department advises people to practice good hygiene with and cook fresh produce to reduce the chance of ingesting parasites from foods like cilantro, tomatoes, raspberries, basil, snow peas and leafy lettuce. Harris County Public Health continues to monitor the increase and investigate cases, a spokesperson said.
How do people get cyclosporiasis?
Dr. Stacey Rose, an associate professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at the Baylor College of Medicine, said it’s important to note that cyclospora doesn’t spread from person to person.
A person with cyclospora doesn’t need to isolate from others in their household, she said.
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“The only way that all folks in the household would get infected is if, for some reason, they had all ingested the same source of infection, like if everybody in the family ate salad from the same from the same bag, and it just so happened that that bag of lettuce was contaminated, then the folks in the household might all have been exposed to the same infectious material,” Rose said.
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What happens to people who get cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis symptoms typically present between two and 14 days after exposure. It is a non-life threatening gastrointestinal illness that occurs when people consume contaminated food or water, according to the department. People who are immunocompromised, infants or older adults may have more severe reactions to the illness and could require hospitalization for treatment, the department said.
Rose said the main medical danger from the illness is dehydration caused by diarrhea. She recommends keeping sufficiently hydrated to those experiencing symptoms.
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What’s causing a cyclospora outbreak?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce from Mexico. CDC officials had not released the lettuce supplier’s name as of Friday. The Washington Post and the New York Times identified the supplier as California-based Taylor Farm in reports that cite unnamed federal officials.
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Part of the challenge in nailing down the source of the outbreak, Rose said, is that the disease can take up to two weeks to present.
Can people keep eating fruits and vegetables?
The rise in cases doesn’t mean people need to stop eating fruits and vegetables, Rose said. Instead, she said, it’s a reminder to practice appropriate caution: wash produce thoroughly and cook food.
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Produce like raspberries have been blamed for past outbreaks, she said, because they contain “nooks and crannies” that require aggressive washing to make sure the surface is being appropriately decontaminated.
“We do think it’s generally the outer surface of the produce, and so folks are also recommending that if you’re going to consume lettuce, that it’s probably better to buy a full head of lettuce and then remove the outer layers and still wash the inner layers rather than maybe a bag of lettuce where it’s sort of different parts of the head of lettuce that might already be in the bag,” Rose said.