Michigan Cyclosporiasis and Salmonella Update
- IEP Urgent Care
- Aug 10
- 2 min read
The Michigan Department of Health and Human services is now reporting that cases of cyclosporiasis are declining in our area, and the overall guidance to avoid bagged salad mixes is no longer in effect. However, now there’s a new concern about salmonella-tainted jalapeño peppers that were served in restaurants across the country. People who became ill reported eating at Mexican restaurants such as Chipotle and Qdoba. Both have stopped serving jalapeño peppers for now.
Here are some tips to continue to enjoy fruits and vegetables and protect you and your family from becoming ill.
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite and typically occurs when people consume food or water contaminated with feces. It can cause frequent and prolonged symptoms, including nausea, cramping and diarrhea.
What is salmonella?
Salmonella is a group of rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria that live in the intestines of humans and animals. They cause an infection called salmonellosis, which leads to food poisoning symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, usually caught from contaminated (and undercooked) food, water, or animal contact.
What is the risk?
"For healthy adults, neither cyclosporiasis nor salmonella is life-threatening. But for small children, seniors, and those who are immunocompromised, it could pose a risk.“ Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University says that avoiding all lettuce isn’t the answer. Instead, she encourages people to think about their own level of risk. She’s comfortable ordering a salad at a restaurant, even knowing its likely made with bagged lettuce, because she’s healthy and not immunocompromised. "I know the risks I’m taking", she says. But she also notes that the calculation is different for young children, pregnant women, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system, all of whom are more vulnerable to serious foodborne illness.
How can you protect yourself?
For any produce you do purchase at a grocery store, be sure to thoroughly wash all produce items in cold running water. There are various solutions you can try, but the consensus opinion from experts is that thoroughly rinsing all produce before serving works as good as anything else. You may wish to purchase a soft brush specifically designed to scrub and clean certain fruits and vegetables.
What else can you do?
While contamination can occur at any point in the process, produce that comes from local farms has not been linked to any cases of cyclosporiasis. While all of our area farmers markets are at their peak season of produce availability, this is an excellent time for you and your family to visit one of them for your fruits and vegetables. You’ll want to maintain the same process of thoroughly rinsing everything before you consume it. Here’s a list of farmer’s markets in our area:
