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'Explosive diarrhea' parasite prompts some restaurants to change menu
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- A widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection linked to contaminated fresh produce, has sickened hundreds to thousands of Americans, with some states like Michigan reporting over 1,500 cases and multiple hospitalizations.
- Dining out poses challenges for avoiding the parasite since consumers rely on restaurant food handling, and some eateries are removing high-risk ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, and onions as a precaution.
- Major national restaurant chains have largely remained silent about specific outbreak response measures, though Chipotle stated it is monitoring the situation and does not currently believe its ingredients are involved.
- Experts advise caution when dining out, recommending avoidance of fresh fruit and salad bars due to the parasite’s resistance to standard washing and chlorine treatments, emphasizing the importance of awareness and careful food choices.
- Public health officials have not yet identified a single source for the outbreak, suggesting multiple contaminated products or simultaneous outbreaks, highlighting challenges in tracing and controlling cyclosporiasis amid reduced federal public health resources.
