By LAURA UNGAR, AP Medical Writer
Federal health officials are investigating a new outbreak involving the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.
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The outbreak included 72 people as of Wednesday.
The Food and Drug Administration has not yet identified which products are linked to the illnesses. Officials also have not said where the cases are located. The Associated Press has asked the FDA for more information.
Federal officials earlier this week said they remained focused on lettuce from Taylor Farms as the source of a separate, multistate outbreak. The company last week announced it was recalling iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. When ingested, the parasite causes intestinal illness marked by “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Federal and state health authorities have been investigating separate clusters of cyclospora illnesses, including the one traced to Taylor Farms.
Food safety tips include washing hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before handling food. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers don’t kill cyclospora, but soap and water are highly effective at doing so.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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