What Colorado consumers should know about the cyclospora outbreak | Colorado State University

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A microscopic view of cyclospora (courtesy the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A food safety scientist at Colorado State University advises Coloradans to be mindful but avoid panicking over an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasitic infection that stems from eating contaminated raw produce or drinking contaminated water.<br>As of July 22, more than 4,100 people in the U.S. are confirmed to have been sickened by cyclosporiasis. The outbreak has led to 308 hospitalizations since May 1 and has prompted a large-scale recall of lettuce distributed by Taylor Farms de Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Food and Drug Administration data indicates that many cases are centered in a five-state region in the Midwest.<br>“Colorado residents and produce growers should take the outbreak seriously, follow current recall information and watch for symptoms, but there is no reason to stop eating fresh produce or assume that Colorado-grown produce is unsafe since it has not been publicly implicated in the current outbreak,” said Eduardo Gutierrez-Rodriguez, an associate professor in fresh produce safety at CSU.<br>Gutierrez-Rodriguez provided a closer look at what Coloradans should know about cyclosporiasis, including the symptoms, where the parasite comes from and how to protect yourself.<br>What is cyclosporiasis and how does it spread?<br>Cyclosporiasis is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic, single-celled organism that can infect people who consume food or water infected with the parasite. This illness is believed to infect only humans, and people are the only known hosts, meaning wildlife and pets are not in danger of contracting this disease.<br>Cyclospora spreads through human fecal contamination, and generally needs one to two weeks in the environment under suitable conditions to mature and become infectious. Direct person-to-person transmission is considered unlikely.<br>Potential contamination pathways include:<br>Water contaminated by human feces<br>Sewage or septic system failures<br>Poor handwashing after using the toilet<br>Contaminated food-contact surfaces<br>Contaminated agricultural or processing water<br>Flooding or runoff involving human waste<br>Improper sanitation during growing, harvesting, packing, preparation or food service<br>What are the symptoms of cyclosporiasis and how long do they take to show up?<br>Unlike other intestinal illnesses, people infected with cyclosporiasis typically get sick one to two weeks after exposure, rather than within 24-48 hours.<br>“That incubation period makes it difficult to identify the responsible food from memory alone,” Gutierrez-Rodriguez said.<br>The symptoms themselves are similar to other bacterial, viral, parasitic and toxin-related illnesses, meaning a healthcare provider may need to request specific laboratory testing to confirm cases of cyclosporiasis.<br>The parasite infects the small intestine and commonly causes symptoms such as:<br>Frequent watery diarrhea<br>Sudden or sometimes explosive bowel movements<br>Loss of appetite<br>Weight loss<br>Stomach cramps<br>Bloating<br>Increased gas<br>Nausea<br>Fatigue<br>Less common symptoms may include:<br>Vomiting<br>Body aches<br>Headache<br>Low-grade fever<br>Other flu-like symptoms<br>Symptoms may improve and then return; without treatment, illnesses can continue for several weeks or longer.<br>Are any Colorado lakes or rivers contaminated with cyclospora?<br>As of July 22, there is no publicly reported evidence from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identifying a Colorado river, lake or other environmental water source as the source of a cyclospora outbreak.<br>Colorado residents should follow all state and local swimming, recreational-water and drinking water advisories; in the absence of public health notifications, ordinary recreational use of Colorado lakes and rivers should not automatically be considered a cyclospora risk.<br>What do you do if you have a product that’s been recalled due to the cyclospora outbreak?<br>If a product has been recalled or specifically identified in an outbreak alert: Do not wash it and eat it.<br>Instead, Gutierrez-Rodriguez says:<br>Do not consume it.<br>Return it to the place of purchase or discard it.<br>Clean and sanitize containers, refrigerator surfaces, cutting boards, utensils and other surfaces that may have contacted it. I t would be even better to discard potentially contaminated items, as this parasite is very resistant to many sanitizers.<br>Wash your hands after handling the product.<br>Follow the specific instructions in the FDA recall notice. Washing cannot make a recalled product safe.<br>Consumers can...