Lafayette And Baton Rouge Parishes Hit Hardest In Louisiana Outbreak

(KMDL-FM) No, this is not the kind of "headline" that any chamber of commerce in any Louisiana town is going to want promoted, but because of a parasitic infection, explosive diarrhea has become part of the discussion when considering travel to any Louisiana city or town.

The Centers for Disease Control and the Louisiana Department of Health have confirmed there are at least 70 cases of Cyclosporiasis that have been linked to the Cyclospora parasite. The parasite has been linked to fresh produce, and that has led to recalls from certain growers, packers, and producers.

In comparison to other illness outbreaks such as COVID or the seasonal flu, 70 cases doesn't seem like a lot. But when you factor in what's normal for this particular malady, the number of cases reported to LDH during "Cyclosporiasis Season", which is generally May through August, is twice the normal caseload.

To put that number into a deeper perspective, there have been over 1,600 episodes of the infection in more than 30 states. Some of the hardest hit states have been Michigan and New York. Other states with significant case counts include Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Which Louisiana Parishes Do You Think of When You Think "Explosive Diarrhea"?

A person holding their stomach in pain. — Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash

In Louisiana, the two "hot spot" areas, probably not a good choice of words when discussing explosive diarrhea, are Lafayette Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish. According to a report by the Louisiana Department of Health, five patients in those parishes were hospitalized because of the infection. There were no deaths reported.

Although investigators believe they have discovered the primary source of the current infection outbreak, there is still uncertainty. The CDC still advises consumers to make sure all fresh produce, vegetables, fruits, and greens are washed thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.

You can see other specific CDC Guidelines to prevent the illness here. It is also imperative that anyone who experiences symptoms see a healthcare professional. There is a growing concern that there are even more cases of the illness than have been reported, so please take the time to be seen about.

That would be common sense, oh yeah, I forgot, that common sense stuff, it ain't so common anymore.

8 Times Common Sense Was Not Present in Acadiana

The rise of the internet has fostered a decline in common sense. That is the prevailing idea of what you're about to see. While we can't blame all of this on influencers and online behavior, we can document it online so that others can see that there are places in Acadiana that are void of the virtue known as Common Sense.

Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells