SerpApi.Org
Cyclospora cases continue to climb in Oklahoma as federal health officials investigate a multistate outbreak linked to fresh produce.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports 170 confirmed Cyclospora cases statewide, including 12 hospitalizations.
There are also two probable cases in Oklahoma.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says a lettuce sample that initially tested positive for Cyclospora was later determined to be a false positive. Even so, the agency continues to identify Taylor Farms lettuce as the likely source of the outbreak.
Cyclospora is not a typical stomach bug
Dr. Shafiq Al-Rifai, a gastroenterologist at Saint Francis Health System's Warren Clinic in Tulsa, said he cannot confirm he has treated a Cyclospora patient. Still, he has seen more people asking about the parasite as the outbreak expands.
He said Cyclospora symptoms often last much longer than a typical stomach illness and may come and go for weeks without treatment.
The parasite is commonly spread through contaminated fresh produce or water rather than from person-to-person contact.
When to seek medical care
Dr. Al-Rifai said people who have experienced diarrhea for several days, especially if they have signs of dehydration, should seek medical attention instead of waiting for symptoms to improve.
A stool test can confirm a Cyclospora infection, and prescription antibiotics are available to treat it.
"When it attacks a small intestine, it kind of adheres to that top layer of the small intestine and when it adheres to that, it causes damage, and the damage is what causes the symptoms that we see of diarrhea, malabsorption, nausea, bloating, discomfort," Dr. Al-Rifai said.
Staying hydrated is important
Dr. Al-Rifai said staying hydrated is especially important while recovering from the illness.
Because Cyclospora symptoms can resemble other gastrointestinal illnesses, he said laboratory testing is often the only way to determine whether the parasite is the cause.
