There are now 89 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in New Hampshire so far, according to the latest data from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Three people in New Hampshire have been hospitalized with the illness caused by the cyclospora parasite. It leads to severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
At least 41 cases are connected to a recalled product. In July, the state health department identified multiple cases following exposure to recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce served at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene.
Another 41 people with cyclosporiasis were exposed through an unknown source, while the remaining seven cases identified were associated with international travel, according to the state.
Nationally, the rate of new confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis has slowed, though testing for the cyclospora parasite can be challenging and time consuming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates a six-week lag between illness onset and when test results are reported.
While the majority of more than 13,800 cases nationally have been linked to the iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, the Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating at least 183 cases linked to unidentified products.
In the previous five years, New Hampshire identified between two and nine cases of cyclosporiasis a year.
Symptoms can develop within several days of consuming contaminated food or drink, but may not appear for more than two weeks, according to the CDC.
The Trump administration ended mandatory tracking of cyclospora and five other pathogens at the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, the office within the CDC that monitors foodborne illnesses.
