Health investigators in France have linked goat's cheese and bagged lettuce to outbreaks of cryptosporidium parvum, a parasite that can cause severe, long-lasting diarrhea.
Officials initiated an inquiry after the number of cryptosporidium infections in France surged approximately eight-fold last year. The parasite can cause cryptosporidiosis, a highly contagious illness with no effective drug treatment, leading to severe diarrhea that can last for weeks and, in some cases, become life-threatening due to dehydration.
Infections rose to 166 between January and September of the previous year, a significant increase from fewer than 20 cases during the same period in prior years. Investigations revealed that 76 of these infections were part of two major outbreaks.
First Outbreak: Goat's Cheese
The first outbreak, occurring between April and June, affected 45 individuals, with raw goat's milk cheese identified as the suspected cause. Of 23 patients interviewed by health officials, 17 reported consuming goat's milk cheese. The reports traced back to two dairy farms supplying milk for cheese production. However, the farms denied having cryptosporidiosis in their herds, and investigators could not confirm contamination as no batches were available for testing. Currently, there are no European regulations for detecting cryptosporidium in food products.
Second Outbreak: Bagged Lettuce
The second outbreak, involving 31 people who fell ill between June and July, is believed to have been triggered by pre-packaged lamb's lettuce. Nineteen individuals in this group reported purchasing various brands from different supermarkets. Shopping records indicated a potential supply chain link to the same distributor, but no lettuce samples were available for testing.
Despite the inability to definitively prove contamination in the suspected food items, health officials suspect they were the source. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) notes that cryptosporidium can be found in the intestines and feces of infected humans and animals and can contaminate outdoor water sources, swimming pools, and inadequately treated water. In food, it is commonly found in raw milk and fresh produce like whole fruits and vegetables, as well as on outdoor surfaces.
Symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include watery diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and loss of appetite, which can lead to dehydration and weight loss. Children between one and five years old are most commonly affected. Individuals who handle infected livestock or drink untreated water are also at higher risk.
This situation in France follows a separate incident involving the parasite cyclosporiasis, which affected tens of thousands in the United States over the summer. Linked to an iceberg lettuce farm in Mexico, cyclosporiasis caused severe gastrointestinal illness. At least 67 Britons have reportedly fallen ill with cyclosporiasis since May.