OMAHA — The number of parasite cyclospora infections among residents in Nebraska’s most populous county continues to climb — rising to 45 confirmed cases this past Saturday. That’s up from 27 confirmations as of just five days earlier.
The Douglas County Health Department, in a media release Tuesday, said its investigation into the suddenincrease continuesas federal health officials have now broadened their cyclospora outbreak probe toinclude nine states,up from five about a week ago.
Nebraska is not yet officially part of the multistate outbreak involving about 2,000 people who reported getting sick, said Dr. Justin Frederick, Douglas County’s deputy health director. He said his team is working closely with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine whether Douglas County illnesses are associated with the same contaminated iceberg lettuce identified in the federal investigation.
Cyclosporais a microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis. Symptoms begin typically about a week after consuming contaminated food or water and typically include prolonged watery diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea. The CDS says the number of people affected by the outbreak is likely much higher than the reported count, as many people recover without medical care and are not tested.
“Public health investigations evolve as new information becomes available,” said Frederick, also Douglas County’s chief of infectious disease epidemiology and preparedness. “Our priority is identifying the source of illness, preventing additional infections and keeping the public informed as the investigation progresses.”
Without treatment, illness can last for several weeks or months.
The FDA has told consumers to avoid eating the shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico that has been recalled, county officials said.
