Parasite infections tied to veggie trays

More than 200 people have been infected by an intestinal parasite after reportedly eating vegetables from Fresh Del Monte Produce vegetable trays, federal authorities said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were 212 cases of the infection, cyclosporiasis, in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Those infected reported eating from the prepackaged vegetable trays, which include broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and dill dip. Most of the trays were bought from Kwik Trip or Kwik Star con- venience stores in those states, according to the CDC.

Outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in the United States have been linked to imported fresh produce contaminated with a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis. The infection can cause stomach-related illnesses, fever and fatigue. Symptoms typically show up a week after the food was consumed.

Michael Osterholm, a professor at the University of Minnesota and an international food-borne disease expert, said he suspected the number of cases was much higher than the 212 confirmed so far by health officials.

“By the time cases are detected, the product is long gone,” Osterholm said. “It’s very hard to trace back.”

Cyclospora-related outbreaks have been linked to raspberries, basil, snow peas, sugar snap peas, cilantro and cabbage. In 2013, more than 600 cases of cyclosporiasis in two dozen states were tied to a salad mix.

Osterholm said it still is not known exactly how and why the produce gets contaminated.

“We have to find out what it is,” he said. “Is it wildlife?” The outbreaks typically happen in May and June, which could indicate that they are tied to an animal’s life cycle.

Texas said Monday that it was separately investigating 56 cases of cyclosporiasis that health officials there had found since the beginning of May. It was unclear whether those cases were connected to the ones in the Midwest.