KXAN (AUSTIN) — Austin Public Health says it’s seeing an increase in reported cases of a gastrointestinal illness in Travis County.
As of July 30, Austin Public Health says more than 80 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in the county this year, and 42 of those cases came in over the past month, according to an APH advisory sent July 17.
The advisory says those diagnosed ranged in age from 11 to 78-years-old.
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is caused by ingesting a parasite, APH says.
The most common symptom is profuse watery diarrhea, but others include nausea, weight loss, anorexia, abdominal cramps, bloating, vomiting and low-grade fever. Symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after ingestion of the parasite from contaminated food or water, APH says.
The best way to prevent the illness is to avoid food or water that may have been contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
National outbreak
Austin Public Health says there’s an outbreak of the illness across the country.
The outbreak is linked to bagged salad mix, and APH says there are at least 641 reported cases in 11 states.
However, it’s uncertain if bagged salad mix is causing Travis County’s outbreak. APH says a source for the county’s outbreak hasn’t been identified yet. It’s still under investigation by epidemiologists.
