A Fox News.Com report said today that here are 285 people in 11 different states that have been sickened by a parasitic infection; and what they believe is causing this sickness…maybe produce. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the exact cause of this parasitic infection has not yet been pinpointed.
The majority of these cyclospora infections are clustered in the area of the Midwest; and there have been a total of 138 cases reported in Iowa and 70 cases reported in Nebraska. The other states that have also been identified as having cases of the outbreak have been Texas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey and Ohio.
The parasite is found in fresh produce and in fruits, vegetables and herbs that are grown in subtropical and tropical areas, according to a medical epidemiologist at the CDC by Dr. Barbara Herwaldt.
Herwaldt stated, “Since there have been “no” food items implicated at this time, we’re not sure that the cases that have been reported in the various other states are related; even though there’s a possibility the cases in the Midwest area could be.”
The cyclospora parasite intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis has sent at least 18 people in three different states to the hospital and they were hospitalized because of the intestinal infection.
Cyclosporiasis comes by people ingesting food or water which contains a one-celled parasite that is too small to be detected without the use of a microscope. Symptoms are: vomiting, body aches and watery diarrhea.
A person will not feel the effects of the symptoms for several days after they’ve eaten the contaminated food; which includes cramps, fatigue, and diarrhea. If a person is not treated, the illness will take its toll on them for as long as a month or more; and people have been known to relapse, according to the CDC.
It was reported that the first cases were reported in Iowa beginning in late June; and the majority of the cases were logged in early July. The CDC said that it’s working diligently with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state officials in an effort to collect more information; and they’ve stated they’re not releasing the age group of those people infected at this time.
Herwaldt said, “We’re carefully monitoring cases that are reported to our attention to see if there’s evidence the outbreak is ongoing; and she also said, “We don’t know if it is but we’re following it closely.”
Herwaldt is encouraging people to wash their produce carefully before they ever eat it to attempt to minimize the chance for the infection. The CDC is recommending that people with cyclosporiasis like symptoms get medical assistance and ask the professional doctor to test them for the parasite; and saying, “The infection is easily treatable with antibiotic once a person has been tested for the parasite.”
The majority of the people who have a healthy immune system recovers from this infection without any treatment; whereas old people whose immune systems are weakened are at a higher risk for prolonged illness.
Barbara Kasey Smith is the writer of this article and it is based on a news report on Fox News.Com.
Source:
Fox News.Com