Parasitic food poisoning illnesses are on the rise in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed 23 cases of Cyclosporiasis infection, a stomach illness caused by a parasite found on contaminated food and water, within the state. This is just above the average of 20 cases reported over the same time period during the past five years.

One person with a reported case has been hospitalized. No deaths have been connected to the illness in Louisiana.

A spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health said more cases could crop up as the department investigates within the coming days.

Cyclosporiasis can cause nasty symptoms such as explosive diarrhea, along with fever, fatigue, nausea and bloating. It’s most commonly on fresh produce, like berries, lettuce, and herbs.

Symptoms usually appear a week after eating or drinking infected food or water and can stick around for days to weeks. If left untreated, the illness can relapse, reappearing after having previously gone away.

The illness is not contagious, only passed on with contaminated food and water, but washing fresh produce and washing hands when handling food reduce the risk of contracting illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.