With more than 200 cases, Texas is the state hardest hit by the Cyclospora outbreak. Does it hold the key to outbreak investigation?
The investigation of the Cyclospora outbreak which has now sickened at least 514 people in 17 states has been slow going. Outside of last week’s announcement that pre-packaged salad from Taylor Farms in Mexico served at Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants was the source of illness for cases in those states, there haven’t been many breakthroughs. For example, we still don’t know where else that salad mix may have been distributed or what other other food sources may be involved. No recalls have been issued in association with the outbreak.
Federal health officials have joined a team of investigators in Texas, which now has almost as many cases as both Iowa and Nebraska combined. Those case patients, who are from a number of counties including Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin, are all being asked to fill out a 16-page questionnaire detailing what they ate and where anad when they ate it.
Cyclospora symptoms take about a week after eating contaminated food to develop and can last as long as two months. The infection is characterized by bouts of explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weight loss.
Texas is one of 17 states that have reported cases. The case counts in each states are as follows: Texas (206), Iowa (153), Nebraska (79), Florida (27), Wisconsin (10), Illinois (9), Arkansas (5), New York(6), Georgia (4), Kansas (3)‡, Louisiana(3), Missouri (3), Ohio (2), Connecticut (1), Minnesota (1), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), and New York (1).
