(WJW) – Lettuce appears to be the likely source of a parasitic illness that has sickened thousands of people in recent weeks, including hundreds in Ohio, according to Michigan health officials.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that while investigators have not ruled out other fruits and vegetables, lettuce or salad greens appear to be the most likely culprit in the outbreak of cyclosporiasis.
Map: Cases of ‘explosive’ diarrhea illness continue to climb
Health officials said lettuce has been the most reported food eaten by people who became sick since late June.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Unlike typical food poisoning, symptoms often do not appear for two days to two weeks after eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Because it is a parasitic infection, recovery can also take longer…