FDA identifies new Cyclospora outbreak with unknown source

On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the outbreak is “under control.” Still, the FDA lists the five-state outbreak as an ongoing investigation. 

Complicated investigation 

Finding the source of a Cyclospora outbreak remains difficult. Small amounts of the parasite on fresh produce can cause illness. But tests sometimes fail to detect it. 

“With bacterial pathogens, where the organisms can be grown in culture, the growth of the organisms in culture can help get above the level of detection and produce strong signals that can be confirmed,” explained Craig Hedberg, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. “That is not possible with Cyclospora.” 

Identifying the source of Cyclospora often relies on interviews with people sickened by it. 

“All of the information that we have to solve outbreaks comes from people who are involved in the outbreaks,” Hedberg said. “There would be a fairly detailed list of questions that our public health officials would want to ask them, and they should be prepared to respond because that’s really where the answers come from.” 

Most produce safe to eat

As for the new outbreak, it’s hard to make recommendations about which produce to skip, because a source has not been identified. 

Even with several outbreaks ongoing, most fresh fruits and vegetables are safe to consume and aren’t linked to a Cyclospora outbreak. “If we try to avoid all of our exposures that could lead to an illness, we’re going to miss tremendous opportunities to enrich our diets and contribute to our overall health,” Hedberg said. 

People who notice symptoms such as explosive diarrhea, cramping, bloating, and nausea should visit their doctor. Available treatments can shorten the illness, and people with a confirmed cyclosporiasis diagnosis can contribute to the investigation.