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Shawnee County health officials report 58 cases of cyclosporiasis, urge testing and caution on recalled lettuce
Summary
The Shawnee County Health Department reported 58 confirmed local cases as of July 22 and urged residents to request specific testing for Cyclospora and to avoid Market Side–branded lettuce products from Walmart within certain use-by dates.
Josh Van Drunen, epidemiologist with the Shawnee County Health Department, told the board the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis is being investigated in a multistate outbreak and emphasized the illness is most commonly linked to contaminated fresh produce. "As of July 22, we have 58 cases confirmed cases" in Shawnee County, Van Drunen said, while noting CDC reports of thousands of domestic cases under investigation.
Van Drunen warned that routine GI testing does not automatically include Cyclospora; clinicians must request the specific test. He advised residents to "when in doubt, throw it out," to wash produce under running water, and to avoid Market Side iceberg and shredded lettuce sold at Walmart with best-if-used dates from July 18 to August 3. Van Drunen also described reporting and interview procedures and said Kansas partners with Colorado's enteric-disease interview team to conduct time-consuming outbreak interviews.
