Cases of cyclosporiasis — a disease caused by a microscopic pathogen that's infected more than 12,000 people in Michigan — are on the decline, and the state health department says people can get back to eating lettuce.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services "advises Michigan residents that they can resume routine guidance for consuming lettuce and salad greens," the department said in a press release Thursday, more than six weeks after the first case of the outbreak was detected in the state.
The outbreak spread nationally, with Michigan as the epicenter.
The disease is spread when people consume contaminated food or water. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration linked the outbreaks to contaminated lettuce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the parasite causes "watery diarrhea with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements."
Michigan's state health department advised people to be cautious with their lettuce: avoid bagged salad mixes, buy only whole heads of the vegetable, throw away the outer layers of leaves, and thoroughly wash what's left.
Now, state health officials said, they think most exposures happened in late June through early July. They’re basing that on falling case counts and a drop in emergency department visits.
Although health officials in Michigan are now advising people to get back to their normal lettuce consumption, the health department said it's still keeping an eye on the outbreak.
"The department will continue to monitor the situation closely and inform Michigan families if conditions change, or if signals are detected that suggest additional contaminated products have entered the food supply."
