70 sick with cyclospora in Ontario after Big Sisters Chef's Challenge

Posted: June 2nd, 2010 - 8:08pm by Doug Powell

There’s nothing like a bunch of chefs getting together for a cook-off and making a bunch of the guests barf.

At least 70 people are sick after a Big Sisters "Chef's Challenge" fundraiser on May 12 in Sarnia, Ontario (that’s in Canada).

Laboratory testing has confirmed at least seven cases of an intestinal infection caused by cyclospora, a single-cell parasite spread by people who consume food or water contaminated with feces.

Sorry for the Big Sisters, but poop happens.

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Comments

joan says:

I just wanted to point out something in regards to transmission of Cyclospora, it’s really not spread through the fecal-oral route. Cyclospora leaves the host in an unsporulated and non-infectious state. It appears that some time in the environment is needed before it both sporulates and becomes infectious (though the specific requirements are unknown at this time). This might seem a bit nit-picky and while I guess it can be argued that it is fecal-oral (albeit by a somewhat circuitous route), it should be noted that it’s more an environmental contamination issue than a hygiene issue. If the suspect food was something like raspberries, they are difficult to wash; if it was basil or lettuces, well they are easier to wash but have a very large surface area and Cyclospora is very very sticky.

Posted on June 4th, 2010 - 8:01am

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