The cyclospora outbreak has been linked to certain batches of lettuce, but do people really need to stop eating the leafy green to prevent the illness that can cause explosive diarrhea?
Dr. Leslie Diaz, an infectious disease specialist at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, said it depends.
She advises that people stay away from pre-cut lettuce in packages and be cautious about eating lettuce from restaurants. If people want to eat it, she recommends that they buy a whole head of lettuce — and rinse it thoroughly for a couple of minutes before eating — instead.
“The packages are prepared by companies that may not have the same strict cleansing techniques that you might have if you buy the whole head,” Diaz said.
Still, there could be risks involved with cleaning lettuce at home. Cleaning it does not remove all organisms, but it would decrease how many there are, Diaz said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cooking produce to reach a temperature of at least 158 degrees.
Why are people avoiding eating lettuce?
Investigations by the Food and Drug Administration, the CDC and state health officials, indicate the latest outbreak is linked to Taylor Farms, which issued on July 17 a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce products from Taylor Farms de Mexico. That lettuce was sold to Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, as well as to retail stores, restaurants and food-service customers.
Plenty of people are avoiding eating lettuce because of the recall. In a Palm Beach Post poll of more than 600 people, 85% of them said they are steering clear of the vegetable.
Federal health officials are still trying to find the source of smaller case clusters.
Cyclosporiasis, the illness that results from inadvertently digesting the parasite hiding in contaminated lettuce, isn’t a mere inconvenience. State health officials in Michigan said two people in the state died from the illness. These are the first reported U.S. deaths related to the outbreak.
Cyclosporiasis cases are climbing across the nation and in Palm Beach County.
Palm Beach County has 16 people infected by the microscopic parasite cyclospora since the start of the latest outbreak on May 1, according to the Florida Department of Health’s Aug. 1 update.
Starting in May, 342 people reported cases in Florida. There were more than 10,400 confirmed cases across the nation and more than 12,200 additional cases that were reported but have not yet been confirmed, according to the CDC.
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an illness caused by the cyclospora parasite, and the parasite isn’t exclusive to lettuce. People can become infected by consuming contaminated fruits and vegetables or water. It is not typically spread from person to person.
Symptoms can begin anytime from two days to two weeks or more after exposure, according to the CDC. Past outbreaks in the U.S. have been linked to raspberries, cabbage, basil, cilantro, parsley, broccoli, snow peas, sugar snap peas and leafy greens, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The most common symptoms include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Less common symptoms include low-grade fever and vomiting, according to the CDC. Some people may not have any symptoms.
Most healthy people make a full recovery, but children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to complications.
What leafy greens and fruits are safer to eat right now?
The safest leafy greens to eat right now are spinach, kale and arugula as long as they are not pre-packaged, according to Diaz.
The safer fruits to eat are those with coverings like bananas and melons, she said. Diaz suggests avoiding strawberries and raspberries.
When should people with cyclosporiasis seek medical attention?
People with cyclosporiasis who have had two or three days of diarrhea and abdominal cramps that don’t get better with over-the-counter remedies should consider seeking medical attention, Diaz said.
A risk of cyclosporiasis is dehydration.
Medical treatment usually involves antibiotics, which can reduce the number of days that a person is sick.
When will the cyclospora outbreak be over?
Diaz predicts that the sources of the cyclospora outbreak will be discovered within the next couple of months. And if not, cyclospora is usually seasonal.
“The spring and the summer have the highest cases that we have seen in the past,” Diaz said. “Hopefully (when) we’ve gone through those seasons, the cases would die down even if we are lucky enough to identify the source or not.”
Maya Washburn is a Trending News Reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Eating lettuce during the cyclospora outbreak? A doctor’s advice
Reporting by Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
