CYCLOSPORIASIS - CANADA: (ONTARIO)

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Date: Thu 3 Jun 2010
Source: Winnipeg Free Press [edited]



Health officials in the Sarnia area are investigating a serious
parasitic outbreak among people who attended a charity cooking event
on 12 May 2010.

About 400 people attended the Chef's Challenge event held by the
local Big Sisters charity, and as of Wednesday [2 Jun 2010], more
than 70 people have reported becoming ill.

Seven people have been confirmed as having cyclospora after lab tests.

Cyclospora is a one-cell parasite that infects the small intestine
and spreads through contaminated food or water. If not treated, the
illness can last from a few days to a month or longer.

Lambton Community Health spokeswoman Lori Lucas says symptoms include
stomach cramps, watery diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, headache,
fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.

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ProMED-mail

[There is little doubt that _Cyclospora cayetanensis_ is endemic in
the United States and Canada as well as elsewhere. The epidemiology,
especially the reservoir if any, is poorly known. An investigation
into a recent outbreak in Canada was published in 2009 (Shah et al.
Challenges of investigating community outbreaks of cyclosporiasis,
British Columbia, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2009;15:1286-8). The
epidemiology and biology have recently been reviewed (Ortega and
Sanchez. Update on _Cyclospora cayetanensis_, a food-borne and
waterborne parasite. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2010;23:218-34). - Mod.EP]

[see also:
2005
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Cyclosporiasis - USA (FL)(03) 20050604.1564
Cyclosporiasis - USA (FL)(02) 20050506.1259
Cyclosporiasis - USA (FL) 20050429.1200
Cyclosporiasis - Canada (Ontario) 20050506.1257
2004
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Cyclosporiasis - USA (PA) 20040918.2584
Cyclosporiasis - USA (TX, IL) 20040526.1419
1999
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Cyclosporiasis - USA (Missouri) 19990907.1574
Cyclosporiasis - USA (multistate): closure (02) 19990820.1447
Cyclosporiasis - USA (multistate) 19990625.1078

1998
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Cyclospora, risk assessment: RFI 19981124.2262
Cyclospora, the CDC & Guatemalan raspberries 19981121.2248
Cyclospora & Guatemalan raspberries, source unknown 19980715.1333
Cyclospora, new - Vietnam 19980424.0760
1997
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Cyclospora, safety of fresh fruit, imported & domestic 19971016.2138
Cyclospora - Germany: imported (02) 19970702.1416
Cyclospora - Germany: imported 19970702.1411
Cyclospora, raspberries 19970613.1239
Cyclospora - US (New York City) and Canada (Ontario) 19970530.1106
Cyclospora, outbreak - USA (Houston, TX) 19970521.1030
Cyclospora alert - USA 19970509.0956
Cyclospora & Cryptosporidium pseudo-outbreaks - USA, 1995 19970426.0850
Cyclospora outbreak, vehicle identified 19970228.0464
Cyclospora oocycts (03) 19970125.0149
Cyclospora oocycts (02) 19970121.0117
Cyclospora oocycts: RFI 19970117.0090
1996
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Cyclospora - USA/Canada: Correction 19961119.1938
Cyclospora - USA/Canada (7) 19961118.1931
Cyclospora - USA/Canada (6) 19961117.1920
Cyclospora - USA/Canada (5): RFI 19961114.1906]
........................................ep/msp/lm

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