Keene hospital reports more cyclosporiasis cases

Cheshire Medical Center has treated 34 patients with cyclosporiasis — 28 of whom have been linked to contaminated lettuce served at the hospital's cafeteria between the beginning of June and July 20, a spokesperson from parent Dartmouth Health said Monday. Of the 28 cases linked to the cafeteria, 21 involve employees, the hospital system said.

All three figures are up from last week, when Cheshire Medical reported 30 cases, with 24 linked to contaminated lettuce in the cafeteria, Dartmouth Health said last week. Last week's tally included 18 employees, according to the hospital system.

The Keene hospital served the lettuce at the cafeteria before it was recalled, and state health authorities said it is no longer being served there.

Cyclosporiasis, caused by a microscopic parasite found in feces, has sickened thousands of people across the United States. Cyclospora does not spread from person to person; rather, people get ill after consuming contaminated food or water.

On Monday, health authorities in Michigan reported the United States' first recorded deaths from the parasitic disease this summer. The two people who died had significant underlying health conditions, according to the Michigan Department of Health.

The national rise in cyclospora infections this summer has been tied in part to contaminated iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms.

New numbers don’t necessarily represent newly infected people. Public health officials typically confirm cases with lab tests, and there’s a lag between the onset of symptoms and a positive test.

Infections of cyclospora, which cause persistent, watery diarrhea, typically spike in summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the more than 18,000 reported cases nationwide are above and beyond normal levels.

New Hampshire normally tallies two to nine infections per year, a state health department spokesperson said.

The state health department releases its case totals on Tuesdays.

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Breaking News and Trending Editor Liora Engel can be reached at 603-355-8543 or lengel@keenesentinel.com.

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