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At least 154 cases of a parasite that causes intestinal distress have been identified in Wake County, according to Wake County Public Health.
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There are at least 240 cases in North Carolina as of Friday, July 10, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Between 31 and 80 of the cases were contracted in The United States, according to the CDC.
CDC data shows lower cases than many state and local health departments are reporting, as the CDC identifies whether the cases are acquired within the United States or not.
Cyclospora infections typically occur when someone eats raw produce that has been contaminated with fecal material. In some cases, a product can be identified that is causing a cluster of infections. But it can be difficult, because the parasite often takes up to two weeks to cause symptoms, and people can’t always identify what they ate.
A cause has not been identified for the national and statewide uptick in cases. The FDA has initiated outbreak investigations.
Not everyone who is infected will have severe enough symptoms to seek healthcare, which could make the number of cases higher than reported.
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Very young, old and immunocompromised people are at higher risk of a severe infection. Cyclosporiasis may take up to two weeks to cause symptoms, and it often lasts longer than food poisoning.
According to the CDC, symptoms include:
Less common symptoms may include:
Cyclosporiasis can be treated with a combination antibiotic, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Most people recover without treatment.
Cooking or cleaning produce carefully can lower the risk of infection. Clean produce with clean water and dry it.
Portions of this story were previously published in The Charlotte Observer.
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