Cyclospora in Iowa: State now has over 220 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis
DES MOINES, Iowa —
A new report says Iowa now has 226 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis from 48 counties.
The Iowa Health and Human Services Department released a new weekly report on its website this afternoon.
According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 45 states — including Iowa — have reported at least one case of cyclosporiasis since May 1.
Nine states — Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia — now have related cases of diarrheal illness caused by the microscopic cyclospora parasite and thought to be linked with iceberg lettuce, according to the CDC.
Forty-seven patients from Iowa said they had been outside the U.S. The report says: “The number of patients who reported international travel represents those who likely acquired the infection outside of the United States and are unlikely to be part of one or more national U.S. outbreaks.”
HHS says Iowa’s number may increase as investigations continue.
In Polk County, the health department now has 32 confirmed cases.
“When we find out about a case of cyclospora, our communicable disease team will talk to them and ask what they’ve eaten and where they’ve eaten for the past two weeks,” says Addie Olson of the health department. “It’s a really detailed process, so we gather all of that to help aid the investigation taking place at the state and federal level.”
The CDC estimates more than 19,000 cases of cyclosporiasis so far have been connected to the national outbreak.
The parasite can cause severe diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss.
It’s passed through contaminated produce.
In previous years, Iowa has had the following number of cyclospora cases:
2022: 532023: 522024: 622025: 69