Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department building. (Jeff Motz/KFOR News)LINCOLN–(KFOR/News Release July 30)–An increase of cases of cyclospora in Lancaster County, with 33 confirmed cases in July with 30 of those acquired in the United States. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department con firming the latest numbers on Wednesday afternoon in a release to KFOR News. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a lengthy gastrointestinal illness and is currently linked to multiple outbreaks throughout the United States. Federal, state and local health officials continue to investigate to pinpoint the sources of the outbreaks. Federal investigators determined that iceberg lettuce sourced from Central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico is the most probable cause of a large outbreak that includes nine states – Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kansas. “Our investigations are ongoing,” said Kerry Kernen, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director. “We’re working with state and federal partners as we continue to conduct in-depth interviews with community members who became ill and look for potential commonalities among cases. We’ll provide updates as we learn more.” Fresh vegetables and fruit are usually associated with cyclospora outbreaks. People become sick when they eat food or drink water contaminated with the parasite. The illness does not spread from one person to another. People can take the following steps to help reduce the risk of cyclospora infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables. Thoroughly wash fresh produce under clean running water before eating and wash produce even if it’s labeled as pre-washed. However, it can be difficult to wash cyclospora off all types of produce. Heating food to 158 degrees or higher kills cyclospora. Symptoms of the illness, called cyclosporiasis, include watery diarrhea that can last weeks to months, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, cramping and nausea. Less common symptoms include low-grade fever and vomiting. Kernen said that people experiencing symptoms should contact a health care provider for diagnosis and treatment. ...read more read less