Michigan sees further increase in cyclosporiasis cases amid ongoing state and federal investigations

Michigan has documented 10,773 cases of cyclosporiasis, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, up from the 8,176 cases reported last Friday.

The department is issuing daily updates on the number of documented cases with weekly updates on hospitalizations, as well as cases recorded in each of Michigan’s 83 counties.

A total of 193 people have been hospitalized with cyclosporiasis, up from 160 reported last Thursday.

Cyclosporiasis cases continue to rise, as Michigan remains hardest hit state

Cyclosporiasis has been detected in 72 counties. Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, Ingham and Genesee counties have the highest number of reported cases.

The state health department announced on July 1 that it was investigating the outbreak, which is caused by the microscopic Cyclospora parasite and spreads through contaminated food or water. Symptoms can emerge two days to two weeks after exposure and include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue.

As of Thursday, the state’s investigation remained ongoing, pointing to lettuce and salad greens as a potential source of the outbreak. However, DHHS could not completely rule out other types of produce, or identify a specific grower or supplier as a source of the outbreak.

On July 17, Taylor Farms De Mexico issued a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico. On July 24, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is continuing its investigation into infections linked to iceberg lettuce from the region along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health departments.

The CDC is issuing weekly updates on cyclosporiasis cases, documenting 6,707 cases as of July 28, with 11,500 cases – mostly stemming from Michigan and Ohio – yet to be confirmed through laboratory testing.

The federal agency notes its reports do not include probable cases, which may result in lower case counts than those reported by state health departments. 

The CDC is investigating multiple clusters of Cyclospora cases including a multistate outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce affecting nine states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Michigan remains the hardest hit state, with the CDC recording between 1,000 and 4,000 cases.