According to US health authorities, an unusually high number of people have been infected with the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis this summer.
According to The Sun, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 1,645 cases through laboratory testing, while several thousand additional reports are still being processed.
Authorities also believe the actual number of infections may be higher, as not everyone undergoes testing.
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Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection spread through contaminated food or water.
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The illness commonly causes severe diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Most people recover with antibiotic treatment, but without treatment, symptoms can persist for an extended period, according to the CDC.
Michigan is one of the states reporting the highest number of cases.
After interviewing more than 1,000 patients, the state's health authorities believe that lettuce or other leafy greens may be the most likely source of the outbreak.
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However, they stress that other food products are still under investigation.
Multiple leads under investigation
The Washington Post reports that the investigation also includes lettuce served at certain Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan.
Several infected individuals said they had eaten at the chain, but other patients had never visited a Taco Bell location.
As a result, authorities do not believe the outbreak necessarily originated from a single restaurant chain.
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Taco Bell has stated that it has temporarily removed certain ingredients from selected restaurants as a precautionary measure.
No conclusions yet
The exact cause of the outbreak has not yet been identified.
According to the CDC, some cases may be linked across multiple states, while The Guardian reports that new infections could continue to emerge through August.
This is because several days or even weeks often pass between the time a person becomes infected and when symptoms first appear.
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As a result, it remains unclear which food item is the true source of the outbreak.
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