Is it safe to eat the product? The increase in cyclosporiasis that causes diarrhea causes fear of fruits, vegetables
The increase in cases of diseases caused by insects that can cause chronically debilitating diarrhea is causing increasing concern from public health officials and questions from the public about the safety of new products.
Experts say the risk varies in different parts of the country and that in California, basic product washing is still sufficient. California has reported 41 cases of cyclosporiasis this year, but none have been linked to recent multi-state outbreaks, according to local public health officials. The situation in other states is very concerning.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal disease caused by microscopic parasites Cyclospora cayetanensisaccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People get this disease by eating food or water contaminated with the feces of a person with the disease.
The epicenter of the cyclosporiasis outbreak is in Michigan where the public health department reports more than 3,000 cases of the disease, including 44 reported hospitalizations.
On Tuesday, the Michigan health department said, “available data indicates that lettuce or salad greens may be the source of this outbreak,” however, other foods cannot be completely ruled out.
In the US, foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce from Latin America including raspberries, cilantro, basil, snow peas and mixed salad, according to the California Department of Public Health.
At least 34 states have reported anywhere from tens to hundreds of cases of cyclosporiasis this summer.
As of May 1, the CDC has received more than 1,600 confirmed domestic cases and is aware of more than 5,100 100 cases that require further analysis to confirm the illness as home-acquired cyclosporiasis.
Officials say the true number of cases may be higher because some people recover without medical help and are not tested for the parasite.. For those who have been sick, treatment includes an antibiotic called Bactrim.
“It causes severe diarrhea, what we call explosive diarrhea, in some patients,” said Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of Epidemiology and Infection Prevention at UCI Health. “Some patients may have mild diarrhea, pass it on, and not even know they have the virus.”
At this time, a specific brand, grower or supplier has not been identified as the source of each state’s outbreak — officials say there could be multiple sources.
Another source that may be investigated now is Taco Bell restaurants in the Detroit, Michigan area that told their customers last week that the chain, “is currently unable to sell lettuce, cilantro onions, pico de gallo and guacamole due to the nationwide recall,” reported the Washington Post.
But the public should not stop eating fruits and vegetables, says Gohil. Washing produce thoroughly with water or washing produce can help reduce the risk of cyclosporiasis infection.
“Bathing will reduce the risk. It doesn’t eliminate it, so it’s a numbers game,” said Dr. Charles Bailey, medical director of infection prevention at Providence St. Joseph and Providence Mission Hospitals in Orange County. “If I lived in Michigan, I think I wouldn’t worry about eating fruits or green vegetables, you know, all summer long.”
“We usually see upticks in the summer, although this is the biggest I can remember,” Bailey said.
Cyclosporiasis is not a year-round concern in the United States and the outbreak is likely to end by the end of summer, he said.
“This one I would predict may last longer than before just because of the numbers. It’s windy, but you know it’s not something that’s going to be the norm,” Bailey said.
Brandon Brown, an epidemiologist and professor of medicine at the UC Riverside School of Medicine, discovered the disease in 2018 from what he believed to be a salad he ate on a trip.
Despite his experience and frequent outbreaks in other parts of the US, Brown’s advice is, “don’t stop eating your vegetables because they help keep us alive.”
Brown said he was initially diagnosed with “bad food poisoning” but after several visits to the emergency room and losing 20 pounds, the health care team did a fecal diagnostic test and found that Brown had cyclosporiasis.
“When I think about 2018, the worst part was being tired and not being able to keep food inside me,” he said in a news release. “As someone who exercises every day, I also noticed that I didn’t have the energy to do that, and I had to make frequent trips to the bathroom.”
News of cyclosporiasis and the resulting diarrhea has spread widely on social media in recent days with some saying it may give GLP-1s a run for their money in the weight loss area.
But, experts say, this is one uncomfortable — and potentially dangerous — way to shed a few pounds. If left untreated, cyclosporiasis infection can lead to rapid dehydration in the warm summer months, especially among the elderly, young children and those with compromised immune systems.
“It’s not fun,” said Gohil. “The best way to put it is that it’s not a long-term weight loss strategy.”
