Cyclospora infections on the rise in Nebraska counties

Lancaster County health officials have reported an increase in the number of cases of a food-borne gastrointestinal illness in the area.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department announced Wednesday that there have been 33 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in the county in July, with 30 of those acquired in the U.S.

A press release from the department stated the count is higher than usual for this time of year, but did not specify if the cases were connected to a nationwide outbreak of the illness that can cause watery diarrhea that can last for months, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, cramping and nausea. Less common symptoms include low-grade fever and vomiting.

“Our investigations are ongoing,” Kerry Kernen, Lincoln-Lancaster County health director, said in a press release. “We’re working with state and federal partners as we continue to conduct in-depth interviews with community members who became ill and look for potential commonalities among cases. We’ll provide updates as we learn more.”

Kernen said that people experiencing symptoms should contact a health care provider for diagnosis and treatment.

Douglas County has also seen an increase in reported infections, with 45 confirmed cases as of Saturday, up from 27 just five days earlier.

Earlier this week, the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department reported two cases of cyclosporiasis in the nine-county health district. Both cases were related to travel outside the health district. A press release stated the department is working with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to determine if the cases are linked to the national outbreak.

According to the latest figures from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been at least 1,947 confirmed cases and 98 hospitalizations across nine states. There have been no confirmed deaths related to the illness.

Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a lengthy gastrointestinal illness and is currently linked to multiple outbreaks throughout the United States. Federal, state and local health officials are investigating sources of the outbreaks. Federal investigators determined that iceberg lettuce sourced from Central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico is the most probable cause of a large outbreak that includes nine states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kansas.

Fresh vegetables and fruit are usually associated with cyclospora outbreaks. People become sick when they eat food or drink water contaminated with the parasite. The illness does not spread from one person to another.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the following steps to avoid the illness:

• Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
• Thoroughly wash fresh produce under clean running water before eating, and wash produce even if it’s labeled as pre-washed. However, it can be difficult to wash cyclospora off all types of produce.
• Heating food to 158 degrees or higher kills cyclospora.