Cyclospora outbreak nears 600 illnesses
In its latest update the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it has been notified of 586 ill people, including 36 hospitalizations.
Texas has reported the most cases with 244, while Iowa has 155 and Nebraska 86, according to the latest available data.
There were 35 cases of cyclosporiasis reported in Texas from 2001 to 2010, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Only three cases had been reported in the past 12 years, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Taylor Farms suspends Mexican imports
An US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) traceback investigation found that the salad mix identified was supplied to restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska by Taylor Farms de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V., a processor of foodservice salads
It is not yet clear whether the ill persons from all of the states are part of the same outbreak.
Taylor Farms de Mexico informed FDA that it suspended production and shipment of any salad mix, leafy green, or salad mix components from its operations in Mexico to the US last week.
The firm has committed to not resume production and shipping of these products from Mexico without FDA’s approval.
To date only the salad mix has been implicated in the outbreak of cyclosporiasis in Iowa and Nebraska but the action includes iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, red cabbage, green cabbage and carrots.
The most recent inspection, in 2011 of the processing facility of Taylor Farms de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. conducted by FDA found no notable issues.
Case details
Arkansas (10 illnesses), California (1), Connecticut (1), Florida (29), Georgia (4), Illinois (11), Iowa (153), Kansas (4), Louisiana (3), Minnesota (2), Missouri (4), Nebraska (86), New Jersey (2), New Hampshire (1), New York City (5), Ohio (155), Texas (244), Virginia (2), and Wisconsin (16) have all been affected.
Some case counts could include those acquired out of state.
Ill persons range in age from less than one year to 92 years, with a median age of 51 years.
Fifty-four percent of ill persons are female and among 423 ill persons where information is available, 36 (9%) have reported being hospitalized but no deaths have been reported.
Illnesses that occurred after 9 July might not have been reported because of the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when it is reported which could take up to four to five weeks.
