Is the source of a multi-state Cyclopora outbreak restaurant lettuce salad? Health officials in at least six states are working in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to divine the food source that has infected hundreds of people with a rare parasite.
The bug is so rare that it is not included in the standard parasite screening which looks for Giardia and Cryptosporidium, said David Warshauer, deputy director of communicable disease at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH). And once it’s confirmed with a special lab test, sub-typing is generally not performed.
With common bacterial food poisoning outbreaks, including those caused by E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria or Campylobacter, subtyping, often done with Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), is performed to find the bacteria’s “genetic fingerprint.” This allows health officials to see how many people have been sickened by the same source.
If you’re like most people, you wash your produce before eating it. But do you dry it? You should, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Hundreds of people in six states; Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Wisconsin have been sickened by a single-cell parasite called Cyclospora. To reduce your risk of food poisoning form fresh produce the FDA recommends the following produce-washing tips. Before you begin, wash your hands with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds, or long enough to sing Happy Birthday twice. Wash produce under cool, running water. Do not use soap or commercial washes. Scrub firm produce such as melons, cucumbers and potatoes with a brush. Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel. Following these recommendations will reduce but not completely eliminate the risk of food poisoning from bacteria or parasites.
People become infected with Cyclospora when they eat or drink food or water that is contaminated with microscopic amounts of fecal matter containing the parasite. Cyclospora is most commonly found in tropical climates but imported foods including mesclun lettuce, basil, snow peas, and raspberries have been the source of a number of U.S. outbreaks in recent years.
FoodWorld 