LANSING, Mich. — The number of cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan has jumped to 1,251, according to the latest information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Watch Whitney Burney's video report:
According to the MDHHS, there are 1,251 cases as of Thursday, July 9, at 9:30 a.m. That's up from 992 on July 8 and 700 on July 6.
Right now, the state health department said they have no specific produce grower, supplier or type of produce that has been identified as the source of the outbreak.
"Every summer, we see cyclospora disease, but we don’t see as many cases as we are seeing this year. But usually there’s contaminated produce," said Dr. Teena Chopra with Wayne State University.
Chopra is a professor of infectious disease with the university. She says tracking down the source of cyclosporiasis can be challenging because of its incubation period.
"Usually after infection, it can take anywhere from one to two weeks for the symptoms to be seen and by that time, the patient forgets what they ate," Chopra said.
She says the single-cell organism exists in the environment and can contaminate food at any time during harvesting or growing or poor sanitation during agricultural methods.
"The one thing about this organism is there’s no human-to-human transmission, which is a good thing to know but at the same time, we are seeing a lot of cases," Chopra added.
Watch below: Lindsay Patrick with Monroe County Health Department on speaks on cyclosporiasis
Foods that have been linked to previous cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada include:
- Bagged salad mixes and kits (pre-cut lettuce blends with romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, carrots)
- Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
- Fresh basil
- Raspberries
- Snow peas
- Green onions (scallions)
Watch below: Search intensifying for source of Cyclosporiasis
Because of the uncertainty, the MDHHS is recommending extra caution with fresh produce. They recommend that entities in Michigan who are preparing, processing or serving raw produce take these steps:
- Lettuce/leafy greens: buy whole heads of lettuce (rather than prewashed, bagged lettuce or salad mixes), throw away the outer 2–3 layers of leaves and wash the inner leaves under running water. For leafy greens that can be cooked, cooking is the safest option.
- Cilantro, basil: Wash thoroughly under running water, separating the leaves. Safest when cooked.
- Green onions: Trim the root end and remove the outer layer, wash thoroughly under running water. Safest when cooked.
- Raspberries: Their bumpy surface makes them especially hard to clean; the parasite can hide in the tiny crevices. Safest when cooked (pies, jams etc.). Consider frozen raspberries as an alternative (freezing may reduce but does not guarantee elimination of the parasite).
- Snow peas: Wash under running water and rub the surface. Safest when cooked.
On Wednesday, the Scripps News Group checked back in with Monroe County resident Lindsay King, who had been battling the food-borne illness for weeks.
"The first couple of days, I had a fever and the cold chills and I had originally thought it was the flu and then the other symptoms set in," King said. "I’m actually doing really great today. I’m on my last day of antibiotics."
As the MDHHS predicts more cases to come in the next few days, King says she's hoping health officials will be able to track down the source.
"There are food service deliveries and is this something that has been spread out from them or is it something that we’re picking up at the grocery store? What is the source? It’s scary when you don’t know," King said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, contact a physician, get tested and report it to MDHHS.
