One hundred people in Sedgwick County have tested positive for cyclosporiasis, and the start of the school year makes what parents pack for lunch a front-line decision.
Kansas had 748 confirmed cases as of the state's most recent update, KWCH reported Aug. 18, with 32 hospitalizations statewide. Sedgwick County's 100 cases, reported by KWCH citing KDHE data, put it among the hardest-hit counties in Kansas.
The timing concerns the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Because Cyclospora symptoms take one to two weeks to appear, a child exposed on the first day of school might not get sick until the following week, KWCH reported.
What to skip, what to pack
The parasite hides in deep crevices that are nearly impossible to rinse clean. KDHE says the highest-risk lunchbox items include:
- Bagged lettuce
- Fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley)
- Raspberries
Safer choices carry a thick peel that gets tossed before eating. Bananas and avocados are low-risk. Firm produce like carrots and watermelon is safe as long as it is thoroughly scrubbed. Cooked vegetables are the safest option. Heat is the only proven method of killing the parasite; KDHE says cooking produce to 158 degrees Fahrenheit may inactivate it.
There is no reason to stop buying fresh produce entirely. The recalled iceberg lettuce linked to the outbreak has already been pulled from store shelves.
A national outbreak with a local toll
The CDC's investigation, still open as of Aug. 13, identified 9,481 cases across 17 states tied specifically to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, which recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17. Taylor Farms produces 40 percent of all packaged salads sold in the United States, according to Marketplace.
At least 232 Kansas cases are linked to that recalled lettuce, the Wichita Eagle reported Aug. 19.
Nicole Belote, a Hutchinson single mother of two, described the illness's severity after she was hospitalized at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in July. "I'm still suffering from an incredible amount of fatigue … literally the worst experience I've ever had," Belote told KMUW on July 29. She alleged she contracted the parasite from a Taco Bell Taco Supreme purchased July 1 and spent three days in the hospital with watery diarrhea, vomiting and migraines.
What to watch for
Symptoms appear two to 14 days after exposure and include frequent watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, loss of appetite and low-grade fever, according to KDHE. The illness does not spread person to person. Without treatment it can last a month or longer, but antibiotics shorten recovery.
KDHE updates its case counts every Wednesday on the Kansas Reportable Infectious Disease Dashboard. The next update is expected Aug. 20.
