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A person is shown washing lettuce in this file photo.<\/p>\n
Eduardo Justiniano\/AGB Photo Library\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Cyclosporiasis cases in the Houston area are rising \u2014 but Houstonians shouldn\u2019t be worried, experts say.<\/p>\n
The parasitic infection, whose Houston area case count this year is now at least 40, can trigger watery diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and flu-like symptoms. However, Houston is not at the center of the outbreak. Federal officials said they believe cases in four states \u2014 Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia \u2014 are linked to the national rise, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
How many cyclospora\u00a0cases has Harris County had this year?<\/p>\n
Harris County Public Health has confirmed 24 cases of cyclospora within its jurisdiction as of Wednesday, up from the 18 cases the department reported a week before. The Houston Health Department reported 16 confirmed cases in the city of Houston on July 8, and did not respond to requests for an updated count.<\/p>\n
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A Harris County Public Health spokesperson said the area typically sees an increase in infections during the summer months, as cyclospora cases rise seasonally from April to August. However, the number of cases under the department\u2019s jurisdiction this year is higher than it’s seen at this point during the past two years.<\/p>\n
The department advises people to practice good hygiene with and cook fresh produce to reduce the chance of ingesting parasites from foods like cilantro, tomatoes, raspberries, basil, snow peas and leafy lettuce. Harris County Public Health continues to monitor the increase and investigate cases, a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
How do people get cyclosporiasis?<\/p>\n
Dr. Stacey Rose, an associate professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at the Baylor College of Medicine, said it\u2019s important to note that cyclospora doesn\u2019t spread from person to person.<\/p>\n
A person with cyclospora doesn\u2019t need to isolate from others in their household, she said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe only way that all folks in the household would get infected is if, for some reason, they had all ingested the same source of infection, like if everybody in the family ate salad from the same from the same bag, and it just so happened that that bag of lettuce was contaminated, then the folks in the household might all have been exposed to the same infectious material,\u201d Rose said.<\/p>\n