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Over 130 sickened in mystery outbreak as parasite leads to explosive diarrhea – and you won’t know you have it for weeks
There are some ways to prevent this pesky parasite
A MYSTERIOUS parasite has plagued fresh produce, causing people to experience an array of digestive problems.
135 North Carolina citizens living in the Raleigh area have reported having explosive diarrhea, bloating, and vomiting.
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The Wake County Health Department reported over 100 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis since May, NBC affiliate WRAL reported.
Of the confirmed cases, around two dozen were connected to three restaurants the health department didn’t name.
"The reason we’re not naming them is because when a patient names them to us we go out and do a restaurant inspection,” Wake County Health Director Rebecca Kaufman said.
“Those inspections happened but didn't turn up anything.
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"We think the source is truly the vegetables or herbs and not something the restaurant has done."
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. The disease most often spreads when people consume food contaminated with feces.
However, no one fully knows how the parasite gets into food, per the CDC.
"We have seen 135 confirmed Cyclosporiasis cases in Wake County this year, of which only 22 have been tied to outbreaks,” the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) told WRAL.
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“Additional cases involved in Cyclospora clusters are being investigated in different areas of the state, as is standard practice when outbreaks are detected through routine surveillance.
“As such, the number of reported cases linked to an outbreak is likely to change.”
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Cyclosporiasis can cause a loss of appetite, fever, nausea, fatigue, and diarrhea.
"The biggest thing is the scariness of it. That it could happen any time and that there's no way to really protect yourself from it," North Carolina resident Haley Trent told WRAL.
"I couldn't keep any food down and couldn't keep any water or any Gatorades, any type of medicine down," she said.
The time between infection and becoming sick can range from a few days to a couple of weeks, according to the CDC.
"Cyclosporiasis is a reportable disease in North Carolina,” the North Carolina DDHS said.
“Similar clusters of cyclosporiasis cases associated with herbs and vegetables have been reported in other states this summer, and case increases are not limited to North Carolina.
“The CDC works with all the states to help identify potential relationships between cases.
“When a link is identified, the state will focus in on traditional epidemiologic methods to try and identify common exposures."
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. The disease most often spreads when people consume food contaminated with feces.
Cyclosporiasis is most commonly found in fruits and vegetables.
Symptoms:
- Nauseau
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Appetite loss
- Weight loss
The CDC does give Americans some tips on how to prevent being infected with the nasty parasite.
One of the easiest ways to prevent infection is to wash your hands and all fruits and vegetables before cooking.
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Before consuming any fruits or vegetables, cut away any brown spots and firmly scrub items such as cucumbers or melons with a clean brush.
When storing food, make sure to refrigerate cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables as soon as possible.