US outbreak of parasite causing ‘watery diarrhea’ rises to more than 2,800 cases

Lead

State health officials in Michigan and Ohio are reporting more than 2,800 cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that causes watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. The outbreak has prompted warnings from the Michigan health department for restaurants to thoroughly wash leafy greens and other produce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported hundreds of confirmed cases across dozens of states, with no deaths recorded.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian's reporting on the outbreak has evolved as case numbers have grown. An earlier report from the outlet highlighted an exponential rise in cases in Michigan, with almost 700 cases reported to the state's health department by Monday, up from 170 six days earlier. That report noted the CDC had recorded more than 400 cases across 18 states on Friday, and that the agency was working with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate the clusters.

A subsequent report from The Guardian provided a more detailed national picture, citing CDC figures of 843 confirmed cases and 1,500 suspected cases of cyclospora across 31 states. That report also stated that 86 people had been hospitalized and that none had died. The later article linked the outbreak to funding cuts, noting that the Trump administration had cut funding to state and local health departments a year earlier, and that the CDC expects the case count to rise due to typical delays in disease investigation.

Key Claims

• State health officials in Michigan and Ohio have reported over 2,800 cases of cyclosporiasis, with Michigan appearing especially hard-hit, according to The Guardian.
• The CDC reported 843 confirmed cases and 1,500 suspected cases across 31 states on Friday, as reported by The Guardian. Eighty-six people have been hospitalized, and none have died.
• An earlier Guardian report stated that almost 700 cases had been reported in Michigan, up from 170 six days earlier, and that cases had grown exponentially in recent days.
• The CDC is working with the FDA to investigate clusters of cyclosporiasis, according to The Guardian.
• Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite cyclospora, which spreads through raw produce and water contaminated with human feces, The Guardian reported.
• The Michigan health department is urging restaurants and commercial kitchens to thoroughly wash leafy greens, snow peas, some herbs, and raspberries, or ideally to cook them, The Guardian reported.
• The Trump administration cut funding to state and local health departments a year before the outbreak, according to The Guardian, which quoted Barbara Kowalcyk, an associate professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, saying that such cuts make it harder to see the whole picture of an outbreak.

Perspectives

Public Health Experts: Barbara Kowalcyk, an associate professor at George Washington University's Milken Institute of Public Health, expressed concern that funding cuts have reduced the ability to coordinate information on foodborne illness, comparing the investigative process to putting together a puzzle with missing pieces.

State Health Officials: The Michigan health department has urged restaurants and commercial kitchens to wash or cook certain produce items, indicating an active response to mitigate the outbreak, though no single source has been identified by health departments in Michigan or Ohio.

Federal Agencies: The CDC, as reported by The Guardian, is working with the FDA to investigate the clusters, and expects the case count to rise due to reporting delays typical in disease investigation.