Hundreds of people in the United States have recently become ill with a special type of food poisoning that causes watery and sometimes severe diarrhea.
Not only is this untimely, with the Fourth of July celebrations approaching, but experts are still unable to explain the reasons for it.
The source of the infection is currently unknown, but it appears to be within the United States rather than abroad.
Apparently, these cases are not related.
This specific infection is called cyclosporiasis food poisoning and is caused by parasites genus Cyclospora .
Cyclosporiasis is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with feces containing the parasite. Historically, people have contracted the disease outside the United States.
However, of the 190 cases reported to health authorities between early May and mid-June, 145 involved people who had not traveled outside the United States in the past few weeks.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the infection cannot be spread directly from person to person, meaning the available evidence points to contamination of food or water supplies within the country.
«There is currently no evidence that all cases of the disease are linked to a single outbreak. cyclosporiasis , affecting several states," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
While this doesn't happen often, it's not uncommon. You may remember the 2018 outbreak linked to salads sold at McDonald's.
145 cases of the disease originating in the United States have been reported in 17 states, with the largest number of cases reported in New York: between 31 and 80, according to the latest data. Although reports are concentrated on the East Coast, some cases have also been reported in the West, including Texas, Colorado, and Alaska.
The actual number of cases is likely even higher because such illnesses are underreported, according to the CDC.
«"The ages of those infected ranged from 5 to 86 years, with a median age of 42 years, and 61 percent were women," the CDC said in its latest report, dated July 1.
«"Of the 145 people for whom information is available, 20 were hospitalized. No deaths have been recorded.".
«"Local, state, and federal health authorities (CDC, FDA) are investigating several clusters of infections in several states. Investigations to identify potential sources are ongoing.".
These infections are classified as "nationally notifiable diseases," meaning health care facilities in most states are required to report cases to the government. However, tracking such outbreaks can be challenging.
In addition to diarrhea, symptoms may also include weight loss, cramping, bloating, loss of appetite, nausea, and fatigue. These typically begin to appear about a week after infection. cyclosporiasis .
If you're unlucky, you may also experience less common but more serious symptoms, ranging from headaches and low-grade fever to body aches and vomiting.
Symptoms may last only a few days, but if left untreated, they can persist for a month or more.
Standard treatment includes antibiotics, although sometimes the disease goes away on its own without any medication (hence the possibility of unreported cases).
Of the 45 cases that appear to have originated outside the United States, the ages of those infected range from 17 to 89 years old, with a median age of 43 years, and 621 of the reported cases were women. Three people were hospitalized as a result of these infections, but no deaths have been reported.
The good news is that cyclosporiasis is well known to doctors and healthcare workers. There's even a summer "cyclosporiasis season," which is believed to last from early May to late August, when people begin traveling abroad—so we know how to combat it.
If you are planning a trip in the near future, you should remember that the most common regions of the world where they are found Cyclosporaceae parasites are Central and South America, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
When it comes to preventing infections, experts recommend washing your hands regularly, drinking bottled water and pasteurized foods in sealed containers (such as milk and yogurt) whenever possible, and cooking food thoroughly.
If you have food poisoning, write down what you ate and see a doctor.
See also: 'Dark matter' in your genome could open up new possibilities for treating diseases.
The CDC's top priority now is identifying and eliminating the sources of outbreaks before many new cases are reported. Given that over 1,000 cases were reported in the US last year, more are likely to follow.
This article was fact-checked by Claire Watson and edited by Fiona Macdonald. While we pride ourselves on our process, we're only human. If you spot an error, please let us know.
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