Beacon infection prevention expert shares what you need to know now about the parasite outbreak
It’s not a word that rolls off the tongue, but cyclosporiasis remains in headlines in Michigan, Indiana and many other states. Cases continue to rise, including close to home. And while investigators have pointed to a specific lettuce sample as a likely source, the root source remains unconfirmed.
We want to update you on the very latest information, so we turned to Kelly Jolliff, director of infection prevention at Beacon Health System. Kelly spoke Thursday with WVPE 88.1 about what this infection is, how it spreads and what your family should be doing right now to stay safe.
We’re publishing her entire conversation with WVPE below, so you have even more information.
Q: What is cyclosporiasis?
A: It’s an intestinal illness caused by a parasite called cyclospora, which is much easier to say than cyclosporiasis. The most common symptom when somebody has cyclospora is prolonged watery diarrhea. People could also have nausea, abdominal cramping, bloating, fatigue, loss of appetite, or a low-grade fever. The thing about this parasite is that symptoms will usually begin about a week after exposure to something that had the parasite on it, and those symptoms can last for weeks if not treated.
Q: What precautions should salad bars and restaurants in our region be taking?
A: I think everybody’s aware that over the past several weeks, this has been an ongoing public health investigation, particularly in Michigan and Indiana, but it’s a large multi-state outbreak now. Early investigations pointed toward lettuce and salad greens as possible sources, and most recently, with the FDA linking a lettuce sample to Taylor Farms de Mexico but then saying that result was a false positive, there is still a risk. The investigation is showing that there’s still a risk with lettuce, specifically iceberg lettuce.
So the best thing for everybody to do right now, knowing that lettuce is potentially still a risk, is to pay attention to the advisories. The recalls issued by the FDA still stand for some of those lettuce sources, so people just really need to be informed.
Within Beacon Health System, even before a specific product was implicated, we were proactive in removing all lettuce and leafy greens from our salad bars and Subway locations, just out of an abundance of caution to protect people. Raw produce does have other risks as well, so I just really encourage people to be aware of the recalls, pay special attention to lettuce and leafy greens — particularly packaged ones — stay up to date and wash produce very well before eating.
Q: Have you seen cases at Beacon facilities go up, and could that number climb as more test results come in?
A: Yeah, absolutely. Throughout this outbreak, numbers have continued to go up, and within Beacon Health System, we’ve cared for many patients in our communities in both Michigan and Indiana. That’s not really surprising, given the number of significant cases that are being reported across Michigan and now Indiana. And we do expect these cases to increase. Some test results take upwards of a week to come back, so if you go to the doctor and get tested, it could be a week before you have that result. As those results come in and more people seek medical care, we expect those numbers to continue to go up.
Q: What symptoms should people watch for, and when is it time to seek medical care?
A: As I mentioned, frequent watery diarrhea, which would absolutely be noticeable — that’s one of the most common symptoms associated with the cyclospora parasite. Especially if it lasts more than a few days, or if it follows eating fresh produce. I think most people are being a little more cautious and aware of what they’re eating, so if you do have frequent watery diarrhea lasting more than a few days, contact your healthcare provider.
Cyclospora isn’t caught on a routine stool sample, so it should involve a specific conversation with the provider — though I think that’s at the forefront of most providers’ minds right now when they’re seeing patients coming in with that.
People at higher risk, like if you have a weakened immune system, older adults, or young children, should really seek medical attention if there are signs of dehydration. And that’s true for anybody: if you’ve had frequent watery diarrhea along with dizziness, or you can’t keep any fluids down, you’re not able to urinate, you’re really weak, or the symptoms are just severe or prolonged, that would be the time to definitely seek medical treatment. The good news is there is effective antibiotic treatment for this if it’s needed. It’s something that can be treated, and especially if you’re dehydrated, getting fluids in you will definitely help.
Q: What should our community be doing right now to protect themselves and their families?
A: First and foremost, stay informed. Follow public health recommendations, pay attention to the recalls, and especially wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water and practice good hand hygiene — that’s all the time, not just during an outbreak. Really, just be cautious, be aware, know that there are risks with things that are out there and know what those risks are and pay attention to your symptoms and contact your healthcare provider if you need to.
Q: Should people be throwing out bagged lettuce right now? Is there anything that makes it safe to eat?
A: I would use extra caution with bagged lettuce specifically. I know the investigation is ongoing, so we don’t know if other sources are going to be identified, so I’d avoid the bagged lettuces for now. If you really want to use lettuce, the best option is to use raw heads of lettuce. Peel off several of the outer layers and wash it really well. The other option is cooked vegetables. We can still get our vegetables, but cooking it would kill the parasite too. That doesn’t help those of us who like raw salad, but avoiding the bagged salads and washing fresh heads of lettuce, with the outer layers removed, is a good thing to do right now.
