As Maine reports more cyclosporiasis cases, health officials say outbreak may be slowing
Maine is beginning to see a slowdown in cases of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness that has swept through the state as part of a broader national outbreak tied to contaminated iceberg lettuce.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 49 confirmed cases of the infection this year as of Aug. 21, according to spokesperson Lindsay Hammes. Fifteen of those cases have been linked to the multistate outbreak, which has been traced to products made by Taylor Farms, a major produce supplier. That count is up from earlier this month, when the agency had identified 27 total cases and 10 connected to the outbreak.
Despite the rising tally, Hammes said in a statement Friday that the curve is starting to flatten in Maine. "Cases in the state are gradually beginning to slow," she said, attributing the trend to the swift removal of the contaminated produce from grocery shelves and restaurant kitchens. Taylor Farms began issuing recalls on July 17, cutting off a key avenue of exposure to the microscopic parasite responsible for the illness.
Health investigators are still awaiting lab confirmations on more recent potential cases, a process that typically takes around six weeks, meaning the numbers reported now largely reflect infections that occurred weeks earlier. As the recall removes the tainted food from circulation and the lag in testing catches up, Maine officials expect case counts to continue tapering off.
Nationally, the outbreak has been far more severe. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 11,458 cases of cyclosporiasis linked to the outbreak through Aug. 24, along with 495 hospitalizations and two deaths. Some of the hardest-hit states, including Michigan, an early epicenter of the outbreak, have also reported a slowdown in new infections in recent weeks, according to news reports.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a parasite too small to see with the naked eye, and it produces a particularly unpleasant set of symptoms: persistent watery diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, bloating, and nausea. The illness can last for weeks if left untreated, but a standard course of antibiotics is generally effective.
Health experts continue to urge basic precautions to reduce the risk of infection. That includes washing hands thoroughly before eating or preparing food and rinsing fruits and vegetables carefully under running water. Anyone who develops symptoms consistent with cyclosporiasis is encouraged to contact a primary care provider, who can order the specific lab test needed to confirm the diagnosis and begin treatment.
With the recalled products no longer reaching consumers and the worst of the outbreak appearing to ebb, Maine health officials are cautiously optimistic that the state's case count will hold steady or decline in the coming weeks.
