Diarrhea-causing parasite infections are confirmed in Allegheny County
By JOSH EWERS
TribLive
A growing nationwide outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite infections has reached Allegheny County, where health officials have confirmed 11 cases of cyclosporiasis and are urging residents to take extra care when washing and preparing fresh produce.
“Right now, to be under 30 cases (at the state level), we’re not sounding the alarm. But we do, of course, want people to be cautious,” said Dr. Jillian Irwin, medical director and deputy director for clinical services at the Allegheny County Health Department.
Recently detected in as many as 34 states, cyclosporiasis is a usually non-life-threatening intestinal disease caused by the parasite cyclospora.
It typically causes symptoms including watery diarrhea, frequent and sometimes “explosive” bowel movements, abdominal cramping, vomiting, nausea and fatigue over a few days to a month if left untreated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms may appear two days to two weeks after infection.
While U.S. cases usually rise during the spring and summer — and are most often linked to travel to tropical and subtropical regions where the disease is endemic — a domestic outbreak has already outpaced last year’s numbers. Since May 1, at least 1,645 people have fallen ill, with an additional 5,100 suspected cases pending confirmation.
To date this year, the CDC reports 141 hospitalizations and zero deaths in the U.S.
Pennsylvania is still below the 40-case mark seen at this time last year, with between 11 and 30 cases pending confirmation, Irwin said.
Travelers are typically advised to avoid food and water that may be contaminated with feces. But because the source of the U.S. outbreak remains unknown, beyond evidence suggesting it is linked to widely distributed produce, there are additional precautions everyone, not just travelers, should consider taking.
“There are some people who are going to be more susceptible, or it can be a more dangerous disease for some people to have diarrhea and become dehydrated than others,” said Irwin. “And so in order to protect the entire population … we want to make sure that we are all following these food preparation practices.”
While the CDC notes that “routine chemical disinfection or sanitization of food or water is unlikely to kill cyclosporiasis,” it advises washing hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables and washing the produce thoroughly before eating, cutting or cooking. “Firm” fruits such as melons and cucumbers should be scrubbed with a clean produce brush.
“Washing your hands with soap and water is important because alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not as effective at removing the parasite spores,” said Irwin. “Also, making sure that produce is washed and scrubbed and rinsed very well, or cooked fully to remove any potential contaminants.
“I’m being particularly meticulous when I eat berries and lettuce. I’m letting my berries soak and then rinsing them. I’m letting my lettuce soak and then spinning it. Things like that. I just want to make sure that, if I’m not cooking it, that I’m scrubbing and rinsing pretty well.”
The CDC further advises that any damaged or bruised areas be removed before preparation. Additionally, look to refrigerate cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables within two hours.
On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that potential ties to Taco Bell’s produce were being examined as one of the potential culprits at the federal and state levels in Michigan. The reporting noted that notices had been posted at some Detroit-area franchises indicating they were “currently unable to sell lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”
It noted that some who had been infected indicated they had not eaten at Taco Bell, suggesting a larger outbreak.
