Sixty-two cyclosporiasis cases have been reported to the Jefferson County Health Department, Sara Bressie, the department’s communicable disease supervisor, told the department’s Board of Trustees on July 30.
The nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak began in May and has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexico produced by Taylor Farms, which was sold to Taco Bell restaurants and Walmart stores in the United States.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite. When people ingest food (fresh produce such as lettuce, fresh herbs or berries) or water contaminated with the parasite, it infects the small intestine, leading to digestive symptoms like watery diarrhea, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) said.
According to DHSS, symptoms usually start a week after consuming contaminated food or water, but the incubation period can range from two to 14 days. Without treatment, symptoms can last from several days to a month or longer.
“Last I checked, Missouri has reported around 600 cases so far, but that number is very quickly growing every single day,” she said. “Currently, here in Jefferson County, we have had 62 cases reported to us since July 6, so not even a full month.”
By Monday, cases in Missouri had reached 1,095, according to a document provided by the Jefferson County Health Department.
Bressie said all the Jefferson County cases reported so far this year were reported in July.
She said cyclosporiasis is not a new illness, but she said typically Jefferson County has two to four cases a year.
Bressie said no deaths have been reported with the outbreak and that antibiotics tend to kill this parasite.
She said the outbreak has kept the Health Department staff busy. She said once her team receives a positive lab report and information on the patient, the patient is called for an interview.
Bressie said the Health Department staff are really just data collectors in a nationwide outbreak, asking patients for a detailed food history of the two weeks before the symptoms hit. She said for a cyclosporiasis case, it is 12 pages of questions while a salmonella case is two pages of questions.
She said DHSS and CDC use the data collected to “connect all the dots” about what food might be the source or what location might be the source of the outbreak.
Bressie said summer is the busiest time of year for her department due to tickborne illnesses and other GI illnesses.
Steve Sikes, the department’s executive director, said staff from Environmental Services have stepped up to help with the interviews. As of July 30, nearly half of the patients had been interviewed.
Dan Kane, the department’s environmental supervisor, said his staff went to the four Walmart stores and seven Taco Bell restaurants in Jefferson County after the July 17 recall and confirmed none of the affected products were being used.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, anyone who has symptoms should contact a health care provider and seek antibiotics especially if that person consumed shredded iceberg lettuce in the two weeks before symptoms.
The Health Department said symptoms are similar to many other stomach illnesses. Besides diarrhea, symptoms include loss of appetite and weight, abdominal cramping, bloating, fatigue and low-grade fever. Vomiting is less common.
To prevent the spread of cyclosporiasis, the Health Department suggests avoiding food or water that may have been contaminated with feces; thoroughly washing all fresh produce including herbs, fruits and vegetables; cooking foods thoroughly; following safe food and water habits; and beware of fresh fruit and vegetables you did not peel or wash yourself.