COLUMBIA — Missouri health officials said cases of cyclosporiasis are starting to taper off across the board, but the fight isn't over yet.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has reported more than 2,000 cases so far of the parasite-borne illness that causes explosive diarrhea as of Sunday.
In an email to KOMU 8 News, the department said that number is much higher than the average cyclospora season.
Nathan Koffarnus, an epidemiologist with the health department, said that every few years he sees a spike in cyclospora cases, but this year is different.
"This year is the largest spike in cases any of us have probably ever seen," Koffarnus said.
He said Missouri still ranks about fourth out of 15 states with the disease, according to FDA data.
However, both local and state officials are starting to see a decrease in cases reported.
Koffarnus said a few weeks ago, around 100 cases were reported daily, but now that number is around 10.
He pointed out that there could be additional factors at play for those large numbers. Awareness of the nationwide outbreak is quite high, so more people could be getting tested, he said.
Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness that causes frequent episodes of explosive diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, nausea and fatigue in patients.
Koffarnus said the disease comes from contaminated food and water, usually containing fecal matter.
"The U.S. sanitation process is such that we don't have to worry about domestic products, but for imports it usually makes more sense," Koffarnus said.
He pointed to the recall of Taylor Farms products from central Mexico as an example.
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Austin Krohn, a spokesperson for the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department, said food safety is always a good idea.
"People almost always cook meat thoroughly to that 158 degrees," Krohn said. "They don't usually cook their lettuce."
He said washing fruits and veggies with cold water and scrubbing them is always good practice, but for this disease, only cooking will do the trick.
"The only surefire way to kill cyclospora is to cook it to 158 degrees Fahrenheit," Krohn said.
He said if you don't want to cook your lettuce or other produce, the safer bet is to eat peelable produce.
He said things like bananas, mangos and avocados are good options. If you peel your apples, that works, too, Krohn said.
Krohn also said if you want to eat your greens, peeling off the outer layers of a head of lettuce before thoroughly washing is a good option.
"I hesitate to say stay away from lettuce, because it looks like the imminent threat has passed, but it's still something to keep in mind," Krohn said.
Both state and local officials warn citizens to not let their guards down quite yet.
"I wouldn't want to be premature and say this is all clear and there is nothing to fear," Koffarnus said. "It is still too early to say."
Cyclospora season in the U.S. runs from May 1 to Aug. 31, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevenion, leaving Missouri officials hopeful.
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