Editor’s note: Most of this posting is based on a press release provided by the Georgia Department of Public Health, but additional information has been gathered to provide a fuller understanding of this alert. -KtE
UPDATE: This post as been edited to clarify the issue with Cyclospora in produce in the area.
ROME — The Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District is investigating reports of Cyclospora infection in Northwest Georgia.
Infections have been reported here in Polk County, along with Bartow and Floyd counties according to Public Health officials.
In the U.S., people can get sick with cyclosporiasis by eating fresh produce that was grown outside the U.S. and contaminated with Cyclospora. Cyclospora is a parasite that
Per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce, and cilantro; no commercially frozen or canned produce has been implicated to date.
Public health officials believe that in this particular situation, washing the produce will not eliminate the contamination because it was grown outside the U.S. using contaminated water.
What produce should be avoided at the moment is still under investigation, per Public Health officials.
“Public health has not conclusively determined the vehicle (type of produce) and source of contamination,” per a statement provided to Polk Today. “We are not advising consumers to avoid any particular type of produce, however we do remind everyone that the safest produce to eat is cooked. As we continue our investigation, we are advising anyone who experiences unusually severe diarrhea or other gastrointestinal illness to check with their healthcare provider since we are experiencing an unusually high level of cyclosporiasis in Northwest Georgia.”
Cyclosporiasis causes an illness that can result in prolonged gastrointestinal (gut) distress, including watery diarrhea with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements that can last for weeks. In severe cases, Cyclospora infection can require hospitalization.
If you have had diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, or other gastrointestinal symptoms lasting longer than several days, public health officials urge you to talk to your healthcare provider. If not treated, cyclosporiasis can last a month or longer. Symptoms may subside or go away and then return several times. Your healthcare provider can order testing to confirm the illness and may treat you with antibiotics.
A Cyclospora infection can be mild or very serious. You are most at risk for a serious infection if you have a compromised (weakened) immune system, for instance, you are living with HIV/AIDS or cancer or taking immunosuppressive medications.
Cyclosporiasis is not contagious. There is no evidence it spreads from person to person. The public health officials say their investigation is ongoing and the number of cases is expected to increase.
For more information about cyclosporiasis, visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/index.html
