Minnesota's Department of Health says it's monitoring cyclosporiasis cases in the state, but so far none of them appear to be linked to the outbreak now impacting 45 states.
98 cases of the parasitic infection known for causing explosive diarrhea have been reported since May 1 statewide, but MDH adds they aren't seeing an increase in cases over what they would expect for this time of year.
So far, state health officials are not making any recommendations to avoid purchasing or consuming any specific foods.
HCMC infectious disease physician, Dr. Megan Shaughnessy says the infection isn't new to the state.
"There's been previous years where we've had outbreaks here related to other food products, or it's something that we can see in people who have traveled to other countries and come back sick with cyclosporiasis," Shaughnessy said. "So, it's definitely something that can and does occur here."
Shaughnessy says in many cases, people can recover from a cyclosporiasis infection without any treatment, although symptoms could last several weeks.
"Many people can actually recover from a cyclosporiasis infection on their own without any treatment," Shaughnessy explains. "They may have symptoms of various severity for a period of time."
Shaughnessy adds that a good rule of thumb is to wash down any produce, and wash your hands to help against contract the infection.
Federal and state authorities have been investigating a rise in cases of the parasite, initially linking the outbreak in five states to lettuce served at Taco Bell locations. Earlier in July, Taylor Farms announced it was recalling 25 shredded lettuce and salad mix products sold under eight different brand codes. The products are used by a number of U.S. food chains and suppliers.
“FDA’s traceback investigation and the outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms’ locations in central Mexico,” FDA's acting food chief, Donald Prater, told reporters.
In addition to tracing the supply chain of lettuce, FDA staff have begun testing samples of produce coming across the U.S. border.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. When ingested, the parasite causes intestinal illness marked by “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC.
