Parasite-linked illness cases rise in Texas as doctors explain symptoms

Health officials have confirmed 98 cases of the parasite-linked illness in Texas while pediatric specialists explain how it differs from a typical stomach virus.

As confirmed cases of cyclospora continue to rise in Texas, pediatric specialists are helping parents understand how the parasite-linked illness differs from a typical stomach virus.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that the number of laboratory-confirmed cyclospora cases in the state has risen to 98.

The update comes as the Food and Drug Administration continues searching for the source of the nationwide cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands of people.

Community ISD announced Tuesday it is removing lettuce and all other raw leafy greens from school menus for at least the first three weeks of the school year, calling the move "a preemptive and precautionary measure only."

Doctors at Cook Children's and Children's Health told NBC 5 neither hospital system has treated patients with cyclospora. However, Cook Children's said it has seen an uptick in more common stomach viruses.

"So one of the hallmarks is that this is profuse, watery diarrhea. So this is not going to be loose stools. This is going to be very liquid, almost like water. It can be brown in color. It cannot be, depending on what your child is eating and drinking, but there is a lot of stool output in this illness," said Dr. Carla Carreño, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Children's Health.

Carreño said another key difference is how long symptoms last.

"If it's diarrhea that resolves in 48 hours and goes away, that's unlikely to be cyclospora. Usually cyclospora is going to persist in time," she said.

Dr. Laura Romano, a pediatric hospitalist at Cook Children's, said parents should watch closely for signs of dehydration and contact their child's pediatrician if symptoms continue.

"Really common signs of dehydration in younger kiddos include not making any wet diapers, and babies sometimes we can see the soft spot, their fontanel, begin to sink in a little bit and their eyes look a little bit sunken in as well. Those are all signs that your child is dehydrated and needs to be seen," Romano said.

Doctors also recommend good handwashing, washing produce thoroughly, cooking produce when appropriate, and considering fruits and vegetables that can be peeled to reduce the risk of exposure.

"Besides the washing of the produce, if you can stick to things you can peel, for instance, a banana or an apple that you wash very well with soap and water, fresh running water, and then peel the apple, that's going to be a better chance of not getting the cyclospora," Carreño said.

The FDA previously linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms in Mexico but later said the test that prompted the finding produced a false positive. The agency continues investigating the source of the outbreak.