The latest food safety scare may be hiding in more places than you think.
As the number of Cyclospora cases continues to rise across the United States, health experts are warning the public that lettuce may not be the only possible source of contamination.
Cyclospora infections, known as cyclosporiasis, can cause uncomfortable symptoms including diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and fatigue. The parasite is most often spread through contaminated food or water, and identifying the source of an outbreak can be challenging because symptoms may not appear right away.
As investigators continue working to understand the scope of the outbreak, experts say consumers should stay informed and take precautions when handling and preparing fresh foods.
Former CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield told NewsNation that other foods, including blueberries, raspberries and snow peas, have also been connected to the recent Cyclospora outbreaks.
“You have to get those vegetables that were contaminated with human fecal material,” Redfield told the outlet. “And so it’s not something we see a lot in the United States.”
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As the FDA and the CDC continue to investigate the source of these outbreaks, Redfield encourages the public to eat “locally grown vegetables.”
“The only way you get cyclosporiasis is if you have to eat vegetables,” he said, later adding that washing produce isn’t enough to kill the parasite.
“If you wash your lettuce and you put it in a lettuce spinner and you have cyclospora in that lettuce, it’s still going to be there,” he said. “You can’t wash it off.”
The number of suspected cases of Cyclospora has topped 22,000, according to the CDC. So far, two people have died after contracting the parasite.
“According to medical records, both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration,” reads an update from Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services.
As health officials continue working to identify the source of the outbreak, experts say staying informed and following food safety guidance remains one of the best ways to reduce risk.
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