Foodborne parasites can cause serious illness and death. Last summer, a cyclospora outbreak sickened at least 631 people in 25 states. This summer, the single-celled parasite is back with cases of infection reported in at least 13 states, including Texas where 155 people have become ill. Despite the recent outbreaks, cyclosporiasis is not a common … Read more
A study published in the July 2012 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry has found an association between Toxoplasma gondii infections and history of suicide attempts. The study followed 45,788 Danish women who had children between 1992 and 1995. The study lasted for more than ten years. During that time period, only 78 women … Read more
A study published in the May 22, 2012 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases has found that organic meats may have increased toxoplasmosis risk. Toxoplasmosis gondii is a single-celled parasite that used to be a significant problem in pork. The definitive host for the parasite is cats. When pigs were allowed to forage for food, they … Read more