SerpApi.Org
Dr. Deborah Birx told Newsmax Wednesday that suggestions climate change may be contributing to an increase in cyclospora illnesses are speculative, arguing the parasite responsible for the infections is spread through human fecal contamination rather than warming temperatures.
Appearing on "American Agenda," the former White House coronavirus response coordinator pushed back on experts who have suggested rising temperatures could play a role in the spread of the foodborne parasite.
"That is a bit of a reach because this particular parasite comes from what we call human feces," Birx said. "It comes from bowel movements and then contamination of water."
Birx said cyclospora contamination can occur when water tainted with human waste is used to irrigate crops or enters the food production system.
She said the parasite originates from human waste, making sanitation and water quality the primary concerns.
She also said negative test results from products linked to the outbreak would not necessarily rule out contamination because of the time that has elapsed since people were likely exposed.
"It doesn't bother me that the test was negative because whatever happened happened several weeks ago, and those products are probably no longer available," Birx said.
Health officials and businesses have already taken steps to reduce the risk of additional illnesses, she said, noting that products have been removed from store shelves and that Taco Bell has changed its procedures in response to the outbreak.
"The people have done the right thing," Birx said. "They've pulled things from shelves. Taco Bell has modified what they're doing."
Birx cautioned that identifying the precise source of a cyclospora outbreak can be difficult because of the parasite's relatively long incubation period.
She said some infected people may not develop symptoms for nearly two weeks after exposure, while others may wait several more weeks before seeking medical attention.
"People remember it takes almost two weeks for some people to develop symptoms, and then some people may not come forward for another two or three weeks," she said.
Because of those delays, Birx said, investigators may never determine exactly where the contamination originated.
"We won't probably ever precisely know where the source was," she said.
Instead, she said, public health officials should focus on determining whether removing suspected products from circulation causes new cases to decline.
"If we've identified the source and removed those products," Birx said, "that should happen over the next couple of weeks."
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