Nation's Largest Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Expands to Nine States

The nation’s largest known outbreak of the parasitic illness cyclosporiasis just got a lot bigger.

There are now nine states that have been affected, updated data from federal health agencies shows.

Cylosporiasis infections lead to really nasty but non-life-threatening symptoms, such as “explosive diarrhea” and vomiting. “You’re barely able to make it to the toilet,” Dr. Alejandro Macías, an epidemiologist and physician at the University of Guanajuato in central Mexico, told The New York Times Wednesday.

Trump health officials had previously identified Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia as the main states with cases tied to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico contaminated with the parasite cyclospora.

Now, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania join that list. Patients there may have gotten sick around the same time as the patients in the first five, two individuals familiar with the investigation initially told The Washington Post.

In response to a request for comment from The Independent, the Department of Health and Human Services sent the links to updated outbreak information pages from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CDC.

The update comes a day after the FDA announced another new outbreak investigation linked to at least 72 cases. It remains unclear where that outbreak is and what product may be implicated.

The agency has also been investigating two other outbreaks, one of which was declared “over.”

The largest outbreak led to a voluntary recall of the iceberg lettuce from California’s Taylor Farms. The lettuce had been served at some locations of the fast food chain Taco Bell and nine illnesses were tied to lettuce at the Cheshire Medical Center cafeteria in Keene, New Hampshire, state health officials told WMUR.

The lettuce has since been pulled from Taco Bell and the medical center.

Past outbreaks have been tied to multiple forms of fresh produce, such as cilantro, parsley, raspberries and green onions.

As officials continue to investigate outbreaks, cyclosporiasis cases have ballooned to record levels nationwide over the last few weeks. Federal data shows there could be as many as 11,573 in over 40 states, but The Independent’s latest analysis shows there are likely more than 12,000 reported.

Michigan is largely responsible for spiking case numbers, with 7,664 reported on Thursday.

Cases there have resulted in 160 hospitalizations and there have been 308 hospitalizations reported around the country.

In a typical year, there are only around 40-50 cases in Michigan and 1,000 infections across the U.S., according to the American Medical Association.

Local reports show cases in Louisiana, Kansas and other states are continuing to rise, with Ohio now responsible for 2,576, health officials told The Columbus Dispatch and other reporters on Thursday.

Cases may rise into August, Dr. Gwen Biggerstaff, Deputy Director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, previously said.

"An outbreak like this ends in stages, not all at once," Dr. Tyler Evans, founder and CEO of public health modeling organization Wellness Equity Alliance, told Newsweek earlier this week.

People can stay safe by avoiding potential sources of exposure.

Washing produce with clean water can also help - but the only thing that kills the parasite is cooking produce at a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit.