The Minnesota Department of Health has identified 35 lab-confirmed cases of cyclospora that are associated with three Minnesota restaurants in different areas of the state. Basil is implicated in these illnesses, according to Doug Schultz, Information Officer for the DOH. This Minnesota cyclospora outbreak may be linked to the multistate cyclospora outbreak announced by the FDA yesterday, but we don’t know for sure. In the multi-state outbreak, 132 people in 11 states are sick.
This parasite is endemic to tropical and sub-tropical regions around the globe. People usually get sick when they visit those areas. But the parasite has made its way to the U.S. through contaminated produce. Previous outbreaks have been linked to raspberries, mesclun, cilantro, and basil.
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