Wisconsin has now reported at least 43 cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite already linked to hundreds of cases in dozens of states nationwide.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 843 cases across 31 states as of July 9. However, state-level data shows that national case counts already likely exceed 1,000, USA TODAY reported. The illness can cause “watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC.
In Wisconsin, where the case count is also current as of July 9, the state Department of Health Services said that fewer than 10 of the 43 cases were acquired domestically, which is similar to a typical year. The illness has been domestically linked to produce, but can also be picked up from international travel.
While investigators have not traced the nationwide outbreak to a single source, Frank Yiannas, former FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response, told USA TODAY that water may play a role in the transmission of the parasite.
When waste containing the parasite gets in waterways, it can affect the soil and environment where produce is grown. Sewage leaks, overflow and poor septic systems, among other sources, can all carry the parasite into waterways.
If contaminated water reaches the irrigation systems used on food, the parasite lives on the produce and can infect people if eaten raw.
Dr. Robert Mandrell, a microbiology researcher and former USDA official, told USA TODAY that cyclospora is not killed by chlorine, which is the primary disinfectant cities use on their water supplies.
Yiannis also said that certain incidents have shown that ingestion is not the only cause of cyclosporiasis. In one case, a man was infected while cleaning up sewage, and in another, a child was infected while swimming in Lake Michigan.
However, scientists do not yet fully understand the nature of the parasite or how it infects people. It is difficult to locate in samples and has a lifecycle that is extremely hard to replicate in a lab, Mandrell said.
What are the symptoms of cyclosporiasis?
Not all people infected with cyclosporiasis show symptoms, but in addition to diarrhea, it commonly causes:
Less common symptoms include vomiting, body aches, headache, low-grade fever and other flu-like symptoms.
The timing between infection and becoming sick is typically about a week, but can be as short as two days or longer than two weeks. If left untreated, the illness can last over a month, and symptoms can clear before returning one or more times.
How can I prevent cyclosporiasis?
The best way to prevent the illness is by avoiding contaminated food or water and following safe food-handling practices:
USA TODAY reporter Mary Walrath-Holdridge contributed to this report.
Lance Schulteis can be reached at LSchulteis@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin reports 43 cases of diarrhea-causing illness amid nationwide surge
Reporting by Lance Schulteis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lance Schulteis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
