CUDAHY, Wis. — Health officials are warning that a parasite causing serious gastrointestinal issues may be present on produce, including lettuce, as cases of cyclosporiasis spike across the region.
43 people have gotten sick in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, with a majority contracting the illness after traveling internationally.
The epicenter of the outbreak is in Michigan, where hundreds of cases have been reported.
Watch: Health experts, farmers recommend buying local produce amid high case count of parasite causing diarrhea
Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic intestinal infection that can latch onto produce and cause excessive diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and fatigue.
Shopper Cheryl Orlando said she is choosing to buy her produce at Cudahy's weekly farmers market to reduce her risk.
"Nobody wants to have any kind of G.I. disturbance or illness," Orlando said.
Kay Yang, with Xoing Family Produce, a West Bend farm that grows and sells dozens of different fruits and vegetables, said she has noticed an uptick in lettuce sales at the market.
"At the farmers market we were realizing that our sale for lettuce went up cause everybody is buying lettuce here," Yang added.
Yang said her farm's locally grown produce gives her confidence in its safety.
"We don't have much concern there cause we grow everything here in Wisconsin," Yang said. "We do as organic as we can. We don't spray any of our produce."
There are no confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in the cities of Cudahy or Milwaukee.
Heather Puente with the Cudahy Health Department said the parasite is not airborne and rarely travels from person to person. She offered guidance on how to avoid contracting it.
"Washing your hands before handling any produce, that includes fruits and vegetables. Rinsing all of your fruits and vegetables," Puente explained. "If you cook it to temp, it will kill the Cyclospora."
Puente said locally sourced produce carries a lower risk than mass-produced options.
"The local farmers' stands are less likely to have this because it's not as mass-produced," Puente said. "We do recommend avoiding pre-washed bag salad mixes and certain produce, berries, things like that, but if you are consuming them, just making sure you are washing them."
Puente said symptoms typically begin about one week after exposure and could last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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