Two people have died in the U.S. state of Michigan after contracting cyclosporiasis. According to CNN, citing the local health department, both patients suffered from severe chronic conditions, and the infection led to profound dehydration.
Cyclosporiasis causes prolonged watery diarrhea, leading the illness to be sometimes informally referred to as “explosive diarrhea.” Fatalities associated with this infection are considered extremely rare.
According to authorities, more than 11,000 cases have been recorded in Michigan alone, with approximately 200 people hospitalized. The infection is most frequently detected in residents aged 30 to 39, with the highest number of cases recorded in Wayne County.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that the outbreak has affected at least nine states. By the end of July, more than 6,700 cases had been laboratory-confirmed, while over 11,500 others awaited confirmation. In total, the number of cases since the start of the season has exceeded 18,000; by comparison, only 249 cases were recorded during the same period the previous year.
Iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, supplied by Taylor Farms, has been identified as the suspected source of the infection. Some of the product has already been recalled. Although initial sample testing did not detect the parasite, epidemiologists continue to consider these shipments a possible cause of the outbreak.
About the Author
