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NEW YORK CITY (WCBS, WLNY) — There have been 517 reported cases of the parasitic infection cyclosporiasis across New York state since May, and nearly 400 of them are in New York City, health officials say.
It comes as United States health officials investigate outbreaks across the country.
“I was having a lot of pain”
Chase Strangio, an attorney from Queens, says he spent weeks suffering from the illness.
“Felt really lethargic, nauseous, had a low-grade fever, had diarrhea,” he said.
When he began experiencing these symptoms back in May, he thought he had a stomach virus, but as the days progressed, he didn’t see any improvements.
“My body would not allow me to eat food, and it even reached the point where drinking water was challenging,” he said, “and I was having a lot of pain.”
No one in Strangio’s family got sick, but many friends he had lunch with a week prior did.
“The common ingredient we were able to discern was either a lettuce or a cilantro,” he said.
Research led Strangio to request a stool test, which came back positive for Cyclospora, the parasite which causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis.
Strangio said he was put on an antibiotic, and he’s now feeling much better.
Doctors stress handling produce properly
Cyclosporiasis cases have been identified in 34 states since May 1.
In New York City alone, there are 374 cases.
“This is three times the amount of our typical rate of Cyclospora infections,” City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet confirmed a specific source for this outbreak, but past outbreaks have been linked to various produce such as raspberries, leafy greens, onions, basil and cilantro.
“The actual parasite lives on the outside of those fruits and vegetables,” Martin said. “And so we’re working with our colleagues at the federal government and at the state to identify, is there one retailer or wholesaler upstream that is particularly causing this.”
Mount Sinai South Nassau Chief of Infectious Diseases Dr. Aaron Glatt says it’s not about avoiding fruits and vegetables, but handling them properly.
“Cooking them or making sure that they’re washed well should be adequate,” he said. “If people are just going to eat junk food, that has its risks too … And I think having a well-balanced diet is something that’s very important.”
Doctors also stress this is not spread from person to person.
It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear, and the CDC says they can last longer without treatment. If you think you are infected, seek medical care.
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