White House addresses growing parasite outbreak after more than 400 Americans sickened

The White House said Thursday it was closely monitoring a growing multistate parasite outbreak that has sickened more than 400 people as federal health officials race to identify the contaminated food behind the illnesses.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to trace the outbreak to its source, insisting the agencies have the resources they need despite questions about recent staffing changes.

"We're committed to providing the CDC and the FDA with the resources that they need," Leavitt told reporters. "Most importantly, [we're working to] trace the outbreak back to its original source, which we are currently in the process of doing."

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The outbreak has heightened concern because investigators still have not identified the contaminated food, leaving consumers without a specific product to avoid as federal and state officials work to trace the illnesses through patient interviews and food supply records.

The White House comments came a day after the CDC warned it is investigating a large cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened more than 400 people in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. The agency said the actual number of illnesses is likely much higher because many infected people never seek testing or medical care.

The CDC said the outbreak appears to have accelerated since May, and it is simultaneously investigating several additional clusters of cyclospora infections across the country. Public health officials are interviewing patients about everything they ate in the two weeks before becoming sick as they work to pinpoint the source.

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Although investigators have not linked the outbreak to a specific food, cyclospora infections have historically been associated with fresh produce, including leafy greens, herbs and berries. Officials say identifying the contaminated item remains the investigation's top priority.

Cyclospora is not typically life-threatening, but the CDC warns some people can become seriously ill and require hospitalization.

Symptoms generally begin about a week after exposure and can include prolonged watery diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach cramps and weight loss. Without treatment, the illness can last for weeks or even longer.

The CDC is urging consumers to wash fresh produce thoroughly under running water, cook food when possible and to stay hydrated if symptoms develop. It also said to contact a healthcare provider if diarrhea persists.

Because routine stool tests do not always screen for cyclospora, officials say patients may need to specifically request testing for the parasite.