By Dr. Karen Hart & Dr. Anne Marie Valinoti
We all look forward to the summer, but as most moms know, it’s not all fun and games. Sunburns, poison ivy, tick-borne illness are seasonal hazards, and now we can add a cyclospora outbreak. Just what we all needed!
Foodborne illnesses frequently occur this time of year, and this summer, cyclospora is the parasite of the moment. Cyclospora can cause watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, loss of appetite and low grade-temperature. Most healthy people will recover without treatment, but cyclospora can cause more serious illness in people with compromised immune systems. To date, there have been no reported deaths by this outbreak.
Cyclospora is a parasite that is spread through food products, specifically fresh produce, but is not spread from person to person. The most common source is fresh produce that is not adequately washed or cooked. As of this writing, the CDC has identified (and subsequently retracted) a link between some cyclospora infections and shredded lettuce served at a specific fast-food chain. While the exact source of contamination can be difficult to identify, you can take the following steps to minimize risk to yourself and family.
Washing your hands with soap and water and by rinsing all fresh produce in running water (even if labeled as pre-washed) prior to eating, cutting or cooking, is step 1. Scrubbing firm fruits and vegetables with a clean produce brush can reduce risk, and heating food to 158 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the parasite. This extra attention to meal prep will add time to your day if you’re the family cook, but it beats the alternative of a nasty diarrheal illness.
Diagnosis is made via stool studies, so you should see your physician if you develop watery diarrhea that lasts for more than a few days, especially if it is associated with fatigue and decreased appetite. If cyclospora is detected, treatment with a common antibiotic can shorten the course of illness and prevent episodes of relapse.
You can decrease your risk of contracting this illness with the simple measures described above. But in the unlucky event that you come down with a case of cyclospora infection, diagnosis should be straightforward and effective treatment is available.
Dr. Karen Hart and Dr. Anne Marie Valinoti are physicians at Harley Street Medical in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, bringing more than four decades of combined internal medicine experience to their patients. They join HSM from the Valley Medical Group/Prospect Medical offices, having each been named Top Doctors by Castle Connolly for 9+ years.
