120 People Sickened in NJ with Cyclosporiasis

NEW JERSEY – A parasitic illness outbreak has sickened 120 people in 19 counties in New Jersey, the state Department of Health has announced. A list below shows clusters of the illness in each county.
The cyclosporiasis outbreak has hit 11 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The state Department of Health says it's working with the CDC, several states and public health and regulatory officials to prevent the spread of infections.
Cyclosporiasis is an illness caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the parasite Cyclospora cayetanesis.

Symptoms of Cyclospora infection include frequent loose stools, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, low-grade fever and fatigue, according to state health officials.
Cases associated with this outbreak are from these New Jersey counties:
Atlantic - 3
Others at link

The news comes as more than 20 people have been infected with Hepatitis A after a Mendham golf club employee came to work sick, state Department of Health Officials said. Read more: 23 Sickened In Hepatitis A Outbreak At Mendham Twp. Golf Club
CDC's analysis of epidemiologic information indicates that contaminated fresh basil from Mexico is the likely cause of many of the Cyclospora infections across the country, but New Jersey officials have not yet confirmed the link.
Though New Jersey saw a similar signal for basil with one such cluster, the state is still working with the CDC to see if there is a direct connection to the food, state officials said.
It is unknown at this time if all reported cases of Cyclospora infection in the United States are linked to fresh basil. Other possible sources are also being investigated, the DOH said.
As of August 12, New Jersey had 120 laboratory confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis reported to the state Department of Health involving people who became ill since May 1. These people also had no history of international travel during the 14-day period before the onset of their illnesses.


If left untreated, symptoms of cyclosporiasis can last from a few days to over a month and may return several times after the illness initially resolves, according to the DOH.
Although cyclosporiasis usually is not life threatening, reported complications have included malabsorption, cholecystitis and reactive arthritis. Untreated illness may last for a few days to a month but can sometimes be longer, according to the DOH.
In the United States, most reported cases have occurred during the months of May through August, peaking in June and July.
This investigation is ongoing and will be updated when more information is available, the DOH said.

Advice for consumers:

• Do not buy, eat, or serve any fresh basil exported by Siga Logistics de RL de CV located in Morelos, Mexico.
• Do not consume or serve uncooked items like pesto or salad that may include fresh basil from Mexico.
• If consumers cannot determine if the basil is from this company, they should avoid basil from Mexico. If they do not know what country the basil is from, they should avoid it. 

Advice for restaurants, retailers, distributors, importers and suppliers:

• The Food and Drug Administration strongly advises importers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as restaurants, retailers, and other food service providers to not sell, serve or distribute fresh basil exported by Siga Logistics de RL de CV located in Morelos, Mexico.
• Do not sell, serve or distribute the fresh imported basil if source is unknown

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