A produce parasite is making its way across the country, with nearly 400 cases reported in New York alone since May 1.
News10NBC’s Erin Mahon spoke with one of Rochester General Hospital’s infectious disease physicians about the outbreak. Dr. Maryrose Laguio-Vila said everyone should be washing their produce.
The illness is called cyclosporiasis. It comes from a parasite called cyclospora that thrives in warmer weather and is usually found in produce.
“In comparison to other types of infectious gastroenteritis, this one tends to have a longer duration and it can be from days to weeks,” Laguio-Vila said.
The symptoms include watery diarrhea, sometimes explosive, abdominal cramping and loss of appetite. Laguio-Vila said the illness is also liable to go away for a period and return.
Laguio-Vila said the best ways to prevent this is by cooking your vegetables to kill the parasite or thoroughly washing your produce if you’re eating it raw. Specific to large melons, Dr. Laguio-Vila recommends vigorously scrubbing with soap and water. Previous outbreaks came from lettuce, including heads, bagged and salad mixes, and cilantro.
“If you choose to use the lettuce for a salad, instead of buying the pre-mixed bag, the whole head of lettuce and then removing the first 2 or 3 layers of the lettuce leaves and then washing the remainder to try and eliminate any of the spores, the cyclospora that’s on the outside of the lettuce,” Laguio-Vila said.
This year, doctors are still working to learn what the source is, which is why it’s important to wash all your produce.
Most disease is self-limited, meaning that people with healthy immune systems are able to take care of the infection and it passes on its own. However, the major concern is developing dehydration from the diarrhea, Laguio-Vila said.
Laguio-Vila also said this doesn’t pass from person to person. It’s a food-borne illness, so the only way you can get it is by eating produce that carries the parasite.
If you get sick, doctors say the most important part of treatment is water. Staying hydrated will help prevent further illness. Severe cases may need prescription medication.
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