SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say multiple states have reported an increase in cases of cyclosporiasis. This is an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite known as Cyclospora. It can cause very severe, very unfortunate symptoms that no one wants, like major diarrhea. There are now cases reported in 31 states, and dozens of people have been hospitalized. The source of the outbreak is not yet known.
NPR's Allison Aubrey joins us now to discuss the latest. Allison, can you bring us up to speed?
ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: Yeah. Hi there, Scott. So the outbreak seems to be hitting Ohio and Michigan the hardest. It's not uncommon to see cases of Cyclospora in the summer, but Michigan typically identifies only about, say, 50 cases a year. As of now, the state has more than 1,500 cases. Around the country, the CDC says case counts are likely higher than the current data show, and they're still confirming (ph) more cases. There have been no deaths. This is typically not a fatal disease, but 86 people have been hospitalized.
Now, people can become infected by consuming food or water that contains the parasite, and the CDC is actively investigating to try to identify the source. Prior outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce - including raspberries, leafy greens, herbs - but determining a likely source could take weeks or even longer.
DETROW: Eighty-six people, you mentioned, have been hospitalized. This can get serious pretty quickly. What is the treatment?
AUBREY: Yeah, so when someone is diagnosed, after a stool test, doctors typically prescribe antibiotics, and if they're in the hospital, they may get IV fluids if they have severe dehydration. I spoke to Dr. Rebecca Schein. She's an infectious disease doctor at Michigan State. She explains a Cyclospora infection can last a very long time, up to six weeks.
REBECCA SCHEIN: So that's why treatment is generally recommended for everybody. However, if you're healthy and have a normal immune system, the infection will go away on its own. So if you're already feeling better, you don't absolutely need to get treated.
AUBREY: She says, if you have a compromised immune system or take a medication that can suppress your immune system, it's basically best to get treated with the antibiotic.
DETROW: Are there steps people could take to protect themselves from being infected in the first place?
AUBREY: Sure. So food safety experts say heating food to 158 degrees is the most effective way to kill Cyclospora parasites. Now, another option is to try to rinse produce under warm water. I spoke to Martin Bucknavage. He's a food safety expert, formerly with Penn State. He says, this can be tough with fresh produce.
MARTIN BUCKNAVAGE: We look at Cyclospora, a lot of times it's going to come from the water that's being used, oftentimes in irrigation of those crops. The crops that we're looking at, whether it's basil or it's raspberries, are very gentle handling. And so, you know, it's not an easy thing to get rid of.
AUBREY: So not easy to rinse off, and that's a challenge.
DETROW: I have to imagine understanding what the source is would help so much on this front. You said the CDC is actively investigating. How exactly do officials track that down? And why does it take so long?
AUBREY: Yeah, well, investigators begin by interviewing people to see what they've eaten and then conduct trace back to try to identify common sources. Now, this is tricky because the time between becoming infected and becoming sick can range from two days to two weeks or more, and people may not remember exactly what they ate. So investigators are trying to narrow in on foods that everyone who is sick has eaten, so it's challenging.
DETROW: NPR's Allison Aubrey, thank you so much.
AUBREY: Thank you, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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