The basil cyclospora outbreak has ended after sickening 241 people and hospitalizing 6 across the United States, according to the FDA. The last illness onset date was July 26, 2019. The outbreak was linked to fresh basil exported by Siga Logistics de RL de CV located in Morelos, Mexico. The FDA has completed its investigational activities, according to an October 11, 2019 update.
FDA’s traceback investigation confirmed that the fresh basil available at points of sale where some consumers became ill was that exported by Siga Logistics. The basil was recalled on July 24, 2019. The firm has been cooperative with the investigation. Consumers no longer need to avoid fresh basil from Siga Logistics.
The case patients live in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Exposures occurred at restaurants in these five state: Florida, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that is endemic to regions in the Southern Hemisphere. The infection is transmitted when feces contaminate food or water. It is not passed person to person because the parasite needs time after it is eliminated in a bowel movement to become infectious again.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a cyclospora infection, you can contact attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
The incubation period is about one week. The parasite causes symptoms of watery diarrhea that can be frequent and explosive, along with loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps and pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, extreme tiredness, fatigue, vomiting, body aches, headache, low grade fever, and other symptoms similar to the flu. If not treated, the illness can seem to resolve, then reoccur without warning. Cyclosporiasis is treatable with a sulfa drug, which means that people who are allergic to sulfa may be difficult to treat.
There have been quite a few cyclospora illnesses and outbreaks in the U.S. this summer. In all, at least 1696 people have been sickened. Many of these illnesses could not be linked to a specific outbreak.
