Two people have died from the cyclosporiasis outbreak in Michigan, state health officials reported Monday, but they provided few details about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Michigan deaths appear to be the first reported by a state health department in the United States amid this summer’s cyclosporiasis cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded no deaths through July 27.
The deaths were announced as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported that there have been 11,234 cases of the parasitic illness in Michigan since June 22. That’s an 8% increase over last Thursday’s case total of 10,386.
Health officials said the individuals who died had “significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration.” But they said no other details, including the location of the deaths, would be released.
“No additional information will be provided on these two cases,” the department said.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also said cyclosporiasis is generally not a life-threatening illness.
“Death resulting from cyclosporiasis is uncommon in the United States,” the department said.
Health officials are continuing to investigate Michigan’s worst outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an illness that usually causes frequent, watery and explosive diarrhea. As of last Thursday, 193 people had reportedly been hospitalized, according to the state health department. The CDC has recorded 423 hospitalizations nationwide through July 27.
The number of cases of cyclosporiasis reported each day to the state health department has declined since hitting a peak of 726 cases on July 13, according to data posted online last Thursday.
The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and state public health officials have been investigating an outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico in nine states, including Michigan, according to the CDC and FDA. The other states include Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
The CDC said it’s also investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to that outbreak.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends buying whole heads of lettuce or salad greens instead of bagged lettuce, removing the outer leaves, trimming any damaged areas and washing the produce thoroughly before eating it.
The state health department said in an FAQ document that while the investigation is ongoing, current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source for this outbreak, “although other food items cannot be completely ruled out.” Past Cyclospora outbreaks have been linked to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas and mesclun lettuce.
“Continue to follow general food safety practices for all fresh produce: Wash it, peel it if you can, cook it,” the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said. “Do not assume that any specific item is ‘cleared’ unless public health authorities explicitly say so.”
asnabes@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Two people in Michigan have died amid cyclosporiasis outbreak, perhaps first in US
Reporting by Anne Snabes, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Anne Snabes, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
