Clark County reports no cyclosporiasis cases as nationwide diarrhea-causing outbreak grows

A nationwide outbreak of a diarrhea-causing foodborne illness has sickened more than 1,000 people, but Clark County has remained free of confirmed cases since the outbreak began in May, Southern Nevada Health District officials said Tuesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that it has identified 1,645 cases of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis since May 1. CDC also said it is aware of more than 5,100 additional cases that have not yet been classified as domestically acquired and are awaiting further analysis.

The disease has been reported in at least 34 states since May 1, according to the CDC.

Cyclosporiasis is a foodborne illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora. The infection is primarily spread through contaminated fresh produce and sometimes water, and local and federal health officials say person-to-person transmission is uncommon. The disease can be severe but is not usually life-threatening, officials said, adding that those with the disease can occasionally be asymptomatic.

Case counts for the disease typically increase during the spring and summer months, according to the CDC.

The symptoms of cyclosporiasis typically begin about seven days after exposure but can can appear as early as two days after exposure or as late as two weeks after, according to the local and federal health officials. They include loss of appetite, frequent watery diarrhea, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea and fatigue.

Southern Nevada Health District officials said that residents who are experiencing prolonged diarrhea and other symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for possible laboratory testing. The officials added that the disease is treatable with antibiotics and symptoms may last longer if individuals do not pursue testing or treatment.

To reduce the risk of cyclosporiasis and other illnesses, health district officials recommend that people wash their hands with soap and warm water before eating and handling food, rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water and thoroughly cook food to at least 158 degrees, which kills Cyclospora.

Growing outbreak

The comments Tuesday from the Southern Nevada Health District officials come as several states — including Michigan — have reported increases in cyclosporiasis over the past two weeks, according to the health district and state health officials in Michigan.

However, state health officials in California said Tuesday that they are not among the states that are currently seeing an increase in cases. They added that the state had 41 cyclosporiasis cases from January to the end of last month, about half the 80 cases reported during the same period last year.