Benton Harbor, Mich. -- A nasty parasite is causing toilet troubles for many people across the Midwest... as cases of Cyclospora rise.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora. Michigan has been the epicenter of the outbreak. As of Monday, Michigan has over 2,646 cases, with four cases confirmed in Berrien County.
The parasite spreads through food or water contaminated with feces. This could happen in swimming pools or lakes. It's also found on contaminated fresh produce, but is historically linked back to bagged salad mixes, fresh herbs, and berries.
Beacon Health System has temporarily removed all raw lettuce and leafy greens from cafeterias at their hospital. This includes the Subway locations at both Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Hospital of South Bend.
“We typically do see a spike in cases over the summer, but this far exceeds anything that we’ve seen in many of the outbreaks I’ve ever viewed," Benton Harbor Heath Department Epidemiologist Sara Palmer said.
The most commonly reported symptom has been diarrhea, along with stomach pain and nausea.
Washing your fresh produce thoroughly can help prevent the spread of the parasite, but the only way to kill it off is to cook it.
“The only sure-fire way to kill the parasite is by cooking it to 158 Degrees," Palmer said.
Cyclosporiasis is typically not fatal, but elderly, infants, and those with underlying health conditions are at major risk and may require hospitalization. Dehydration is one of the major concerns for the illness because of how much fluid people lose.
“If you’re having symptoms and they’re going on for a while, and you’re losing a lot of fluid, you definitely want to reach out to your medical provider and have a conversation. This is a tricky one to diagnose. There’s a lot of things we see in the summer that cause diarrhea illnesses," Palmer said.
If you are diagnosed with cyclosporiasis, you are urged to contact your local health department so they can track your recent food history and find the source of the parasite.