Illinois cyclosporiasis cases surge as doctors warn about certain produce
Illinois health expert breaks down rise of cyclosporiasis
Illinois is seeing an increase in cases of an intestinal parasite called cyclosporiasis. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lauren Smith from Cook County Health gives the details on the parasite and how to keep you and your family safe.
CHICAGO - A sharp increase of cyclosporiasis cases in Illinois is prompting warnings from health officials to take extra precautions with fresh produce.
Cyclosporiasis in Illinois
What to know:
The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported nearly 150 cases of the intestinal infection this year, prompting renewed concern as officials work to identify the source of the outbreak.
Health officials have not yet determined what is causing the current cases, but Dr. Lauren Smith, chief medical officer at Cook County Health, said residents should be especially careful when handling fresh fruits and vegetables.
"The recommendations currently are to avoid purchasing the pre-wash bags of lettuce and if you are going to buy lettuce or cabbage or leafy vegetables, you probably want to remove the outer layer first. Go ahead and throw that away and then thoroughly rinse off all the other leaves that you might eat," Smith said.
She noted that previous outbreaks have been linked to raspberries and cilantro.
"So if you're buying fresh produce, you really want to make sure that you are washing that in the sink very thoroughly, hoping that you will wash away the parasites and not ingest it," Smith said.
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What they're saying:
The illness typically causes watery diarrhea that can last for weeks if left untreated.
"The most predominant feature is the watery explosive diarrhea and so it's really key to stay hydrated," Smith said. "You want to drink a lot of water and a lot electrolytes. If you feel like you're not able to keep up with your hydration, then you're going to need to proceed to an emergency room."
Illinois doctor explains what to know about the 'explosive' diarrhea parasite
The CDC is reporting an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that can cause severe, watery diarrhea. Numerous cases have been identified across 17 states, including Illinois.
Symptoms generally begin two to 14 days after exposure and can persist for an extended period. Smith said antibiotics are available, but patients should first undergo testing to confirm the parasite is the cause of their illness.
"So there are antibiotics that we can prescribe, but you do have to do a specific test on the stool to know if this is actually what you have in the cause, because we also want to make sure that it's not something else," she said. "So if you are having a prolonged course where you're beyond one or two weeks, you definitely want to seek medical expert advice."
People with weakened immune systems may face a greater risk of serious illness.
Illinois is not alone in seeing an increase. Smith said neighboring states are also reporting unusually high case counts.
"Yes, so we know that in Michigan and Ohio, they are seeing the highest levels," Smith said. "Michigan typically around this time may see 50 cases. They've already seen 1,000. In the state of Illinois, we are around 150."
She added that roughly half of Illinois' cases involve people who recently traveled outside the United States, while the other half appear to have been contracted locally.
"So we are seeing trends that are higher than normal," Smith said. "There is a seasonality to this. So, typically, you will see cases between May and August, but we are seeing it at a much significantly higher rate."
The Source: The information in this report came from the and Dr. Lauren Smith from Cook County Health.