Dear Doctors: I keep hearing on the news about a stomach bug that's getting a lot of people sick. How serious is it? What are the symptoms that people should be watching out for? I'm always careful about washing produce. Is that enough or is there something else we should be doing?
Dear Reader: The current intestinal illness outbreak you're asking about is called cyclosporiasis. Thousands of people across the United States have gotten sick from it so far. Symptoms of cyclosporiasis include severe diarrhea, nausea and fatigue. It is caused by a tiny, one-celled parasite, called Cyclospora cayetanensis. People get infected when they eat or drink contaminated food or water. The contamination comes from the stool of an infected person. This transfer usually happens during growing, harvesting or processing produce. Unlike many intestinal illnesses, cyclosporiasis does not spread directly from one person to another.
Symptoms usually begin about one week after infection. They can also start anywhere from several days to two weeks later. Symptoms include watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, gas and poor appetite. Some people also have a low-grade fever and fatigue. Doctors diagnose the illness by testing a stool sample for the parasite. Cyclosporiasis is treated with antibiotics. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks. In the worst cases, the symptoms can cause severe dehydration, which can require a hospital stay to help you recover.
Here in the U.S., outbreaks are usually traced to fresh produce. Due to the long incubation period, it is hard to trace where cases came from. Cases of cyclosporiasis occur in the U.S. each year in small numbers. Other foodborne illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli, are far more common. However, this summer, cyclosporiasis has spread wider and faster than before.
To avoid infection, you have to remove or kill any parasites that may be present in raw food. This includes vegetables, fruit, berries, leafy greens and fresh herbs. Washing your produce is helpful, but Cyclospora is hard to remove. The parasite's outer wall helps it to cling to surfaces. The parasite's outer wall also protects it from common sanitizing methods, such as a chlorine rinse. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers also do not kill the parasite.
The best way to kill Cyclospora is by cooking your produce. Heat it to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit before eating it. Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water well after using the bathroom. Also wash your hands well before and after handling produce.
If someone gets symptoms seen in cyclosporiasis, they should see their doctor. A doctor can order tests to diagnose and then provide treatment. Diagnoses also help trace the current outbreak. Tracing outbreaks provides useful data that helps officials identify what could be causing the outbreak and where. You should also watch for Food and Drug Administration food recalls. These can alert you to specific products linked to the current outbreak.
(Send your questions to [email protected], or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1955, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)
