Cyclospora Outbreak in Michigan Affects Nearly 700 Residents

LANSING, Mich. – A parasitic infection known as cyclosporiasis has affected almost 700 people across Michigan, according to health officials, with cases rising dramatically from around 170 in just a week.

The outbreak is escalating quickly, and authorities are striving to contain it. The current leading theory points to contaminated fresh produce as the source, but so far, a specific item has yet to be pinpointed.

Haley Hompstead, a resident of Monroe County—identified as a hotspot for the infection—said her troubles began on July 3. “That morning, I woke up around seven with the worst abdominal pain I’ve ever experienced,” she shared.

Counties like Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston are also facing the effects of this outbreak.

Hompstead mentioned that she has lost about 10 pounds since her symptoms began. “I’m really scared to eat, because no matter what goes into my stomach, whether it’s plain rice or something more substantial, the pain is overwhelming,” she said.

She recounted a visit to the emergency room, where she noticed another patient had the same infection.

Other symptoms associated with this infection include frequent, watery diarrhea that can be explosive. These symptoms might not show up until two weeks after exposure.

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive, acknowledged the challenge of tracing the outbreak’s origins due to the high number of cases. “We have 700 individuals to interview, which complicates matters significantly. However, our main focus remains on the possibility of contaminated produce,” she explained.

As Dr. Bagdasarian and her team continue to investigate, they are searching for specific types or brands of produce. She noted, though, that the national food distribution network makes their task quite complex. “Food might be grown in one state, processed in another, and then shipped to various states,” she added.

Hompstead expressed her hope to access antibiotics for the infection, stating that it’s currently “hard to function.” She described herself as a low-income college student and remarked, “Life doesn’t just stop. But I feel worn out and weak.”

She typically cooks most of the vegetables she consumes but pointed out that among the two raw items consumed recently were a bagged broccoli/coleslaw mix and fresh strawberries. “I always clean my produce, but maybe I didn’t do it thoroughly enough,” she mused.

Dr. Bagdasarian advised residents to be more careful when handling fresh produce, suggesting the removal of outer lettuce layers and washing them before consumption. For items that can be cooked, she emphasized that heating them to at least 158 degrees will kill the infection.

The state health department plans to issue guidelines to licensed healthcare providers as the number of cases continues to rise.