U.S. Cyclospora Cases Nearly Double as Source Remains Unidentified
The CDC reports a sharp increase in confirmed cyclospora infections to 1,645, with hospitals treating 141 patients while investigations into the outbreak’s source continue.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said confirmed cyclospora infections in the United States rose to 1,645 on Tuesday, up from 843 reported on Friday. Health officials noted that 141 people have been hospitalized and that an additional 5,100 suspected cases are under review.
Michigan, which currently has the highest number of cases, indicated that lettuce or salad greens might be linked to the outbreak, though state and CDC investigators said the probe is ongoing and other foods could also be involved.
"The parasite is uniquely challenging to investigate, in part because of its biology," said Craig Hedberg, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
Experts said that pinpointing the source of cyclospora outbreaks often takes time due to the organism’s characteristics, and the current surge underscores the difficulty of tracing such infections.