New Jersey health officials have a simple message this week regarding the latest cyclosporiasis outbreak: relax, but wash your produce.
The state’s Department of Health reported 46 cases of cyclosporiasis between May 1 and July 11—right in line with the 30 to 50 cases New Jersey typically sees this time of year. None involved recent international travel, and officials say nothing connects the cases to an outbreak or to produce grown in New Jersey, according to the department.
“At this time, we are not seeing an increase in cyclosporiasis cases here in New Jersey, and our current numbers are in line with what we’d expect for this time of year,” said Dr. Raynard Washington, New Jersey Health Commissioner. Produce from other states still finds its way onto New Jersey shelves, which is why officials are still urging basic caution.
Things aren’t as reassuring in other parts of the country. Multiple states are seeing clusters this summer, including a larger outbreak spread across at least four Midwestern states. More than 1,600 cases have turned up nationally, per the CDC, and nobody’s tracked down the specific food behind it yet.
The culprit is a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis. It spreads through contaminated produce or water—never person to person. New Jersey’s cyclosporiasis season typically runs May through August.
New Jersey’s own farmers got a clean bill of health from the state’s Agriculture Department. “The New Jersey Department of Agriculture emphasizes that no produce coming from New Jersey farms has been linked to the cyclosporiasis outbreak,” said Secretary Ed Wengryn, pointing to Jersey Fresh farmers’ compliance with federal safety standards.
Symptoms are unpleasant but rarely dangerous: watery diarrhea, cramps, nausea, fatigue, low fevers. They tend to show up about a week after exposure and, left untreated, can drag on for weeks. Antibiotics clear it up.
Here’s the catch: washing produce is good practice, but it doesn’t kill the parasite. Cooking does.
Health officials recommend washing hands before and after handling fresh produce, scrubbing firm items like melons with a brush, reaching for whole-head lettuce instead of bagged mixes, and cooking things like berries and leafy greens when possible.
If you have symptoms, it’s worth a call to your doctor. Although New Jersey seems to have a handle on things, the state says it’s still watching the situation closely alongside the CDC.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.