AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — As of July 9, the CDC has reported 843 cases of Cyclosporiasis and 86 hospitalizations.
“It’s an infectious condition caused by a type of parasite that’s a single-celled organism. It is transmitted. First off, it typically will see its sum in the summer months, but we’re seeing it at higher levels than usual,” explained Dr. Rodney Young, Texas Tech Physicians Family Medicine Physician.
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Dr. Young detailed: “So it’s normal cadences somewhere between like May and August in our part of the world, and typically it produces a pretty substantial diarrhea illness, and some GI upset that just kind of lingers and won’t seem to go away.”
While it can not be pinned to a single source, Young added that the most common way that this illness is transmitted is through food.
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“I’m not trying to discourage consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, but fresh vegetables and herbs are known ways that this is transmitted. Things like on bagged salad mixes or lettuce or some of the things we like with, you know, Mexican food, for example, like cilantro is a source, basil is another source,” added Young…