SAN DIEGO (FOX 5\/KUSI) \u2014 As parts of the country track a rise in cases of a parasitic illness causing severe diarrhea, San Diego County is not among them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, as national headlines cause local concern, some residents are rethinking food habits and how it’s handled outside the home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We did buy lettuce, but we are not eating salads in restaurants,” said grocery shopper Paula Papas. “I don’t know how they wash it.”<\/p>\n
It’s the conversation some San Diegans are having because of a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Cyclospora is a parasite. It’s a foodborne illness. It’s something that got onto fresh produce, more than likely, fresh produce is what they’re thinking through contaminated water,” said Angelea Bruce, Oncology Dietitian with Sharp Memorial Cancer Center.<\/p>\n
Through her profession, Bruce works with immunocompromised patients who now have concerns. “Nobody wants to get sick, especially people that are undergoing treatments,” she said.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday, San Diego County is reporting<\/a> no local increase in cases. Eight have been logged so far this year, but typically it sees 15 to 20 cases annually, which are often tied to international travel.\u00a0<\/p>\n The CDC’s most recent monitoring shows 1,645 cases across 34 states, with more than 5,100 others under investigation.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Signs and symptoms of infection include nausea, stomach cramps, and the one that everybody is talking about is diarrhea. So that’s really unpleasant and it can last for several weeks,” said Bruce.<\/p>\n