Adams County health officials investigate cyclosporiasis outbreak in residents

Adams County health officials are investigating nine cyclosporiasis cases among county residents, with illnesses starting from late June into July. The parasite-linked illness has shown up in a county that is now part of a fast-moving Ohio outbreak.

Statewide numbers have risen sharply. The Ohio Department of Health reported 177 cyclosporiasis cases in Ohio as of July 2, then at least 364 by July 14, while another update put the total near 400. One July 16 update said Ohio cases had more than tripled in the previous week, underscoring how quickly the outbreak expanded across the state.

Health officials are still working to identify the food source, and lettuce and other salad greens are under scrutiny as possible vehicles of exposure. Cyclosporiasis is often linked to contaminated produce, and federal health officials are also tracking a multistate Cyclospora outbreak through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The illness can be serious. The Ohio Department of Health warned July 8 that cyclosporiasis can cause prolonged gastrointestinal illness, and the infection is known to trigger watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, bloating, loss of appetite and fatigue. Because symptoms can linger, residents who ate raw produce recently and then developed those problems should pay attention quickly.

Adams County residents need to do four things now: watch for symptoms, think back to recent meals that included lettuce or salad greens, contact a doctor if illness develops, and mention possible Cyclospora exposure. Anyone with severe symptoms or symptoms that do not improve should seek medical care promptly. The Adams County Health Department’s investigation is still focused on finding where the exposure came from, while the state and federal response continues to widen around a domestic foodborne outbreak that has already reached far beyond the county line.