MONROE COUNTY, Mich. – Over the past nine days, a cluster of cyclosporiasis cases in Monroe County has grown into more than 170 cases across at least seven Michigan counties, prompting concerns by state health officials.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) say they are actively investigating the potential source of the “large and growing outbreak” of cases confirmed in Monroe (70 cases), Lenawee (33), Washtenaw (21), Wayne (12), Shiawassee (7), Jackson (7) and Livingston counties.
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Health officials also reported 24 cases across 11 other Michigan counties, including in the city of Detroit. Typically, Michigan only gets around 50 cases per year.
Cyclospora cayetanensis, or Cyclospora, is an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite, which spreads by food or water that has been contaminated with feces.
The parasite is commonly found in developing countries, officials said, and an infection can cause moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as frequent diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps and nausea, and low-grade fever.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the State of Michigan, says an uptick in cyclosporiasis cases have been reported across the country, not just in Michigan.
According to the Monroe County Health Department, recent outbreaks in the U.S. were caused by consumption of contaminated fresh produce, especially during the summer months. The illness is not known to be spread from person to person.
“Based on the unusual number of cases we have identified in a little over a week, we anticipate additional cases of illness being reported,” she said. “We recommend Michiganders contact their health care provider if they experience sudden, ongoing diarrhea and reach out to their local health department if additional members of their family are suffering from the same symptoms.”
The age range of individuals who were diagnosed with the illness range from 8 years old to 84 years old, with a median age of 41, according to MDHHS.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis can occur anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure. If the illness is not treated, it can last for a few days to over a month, however with antibiotics symptoms can be significantly improved.
Though the common exposure of the outbreak in Michigan hasn’t been identified, state health officials are urging Michiganders to follow all essential food safety guidelines, such as washing your hands before and after preparing food, and washing all produce before consumption.
Read more about cyclosporiasis here.