Allegheny County reports 35 cyclosporiasis cases, 2 hospitalizations as officials probe connection to outbreak

Allegheny County has nearly three dozen cases of cyclosporiasis, though the county health department says it's waiting to learn whether those cases are linked to the multistate outbreak. 

As of Sunday night, the Allegheny County Health Department said it has recorded 35 cases of cyclosporiasis, two of which have resulted in hospitalizations. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday confirmed that the state has several cases of cyclosporiasis tied to the larger multistate outbreak involving iceberg lettuce. However, Allegheny County said it's still waiting on information from federal and state officials on whether any of those cases are linked to the outbreak.  

While illnesses have been confirmed in nine states, health officials suspect multiple cyclospora outbreaks across 41 states, with more than 4,100 laboratory-confirmed cases and 7,400 suspected cases since May 1. 

Health officials believe the affected iceberg lettuce came from a Taylor Farms facility in central Mexico, but despite a recall, the number of confirmed cases is expected to rise because it can take as long as six weeks for officials to determine if a person was sickened as part of the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.  

People get cyclosporiasis by eating food or drinking water that's contaminated with the parasite cyclospora, the Allegheny County Health Department said. Symptoms, which include what's described as "explosive" diarrhea, usually begin about one week after exposure, but it can take up to two weeks. 

Without treatment, symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to a month or longer, the CDC says. However, cyclosporiasis is not usually life-threatening, and an antibiotic can be prescribed as treatment.

"The health department's recommendations to the public have not changed: Wash your hands. Practice consistent hand hygiene, thoroughly wash your produce, cook it whenever possible, and seek medical testing and appropriate treatment for prolonged diarrheal illness," a spokesperson for the Allegheny County Health Department said in a statement.