March 8, 2021
Posted by: OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers
If you tested positive for Cyclospora and are left with medical bills as a result, you may wonder—can I hold a food company responsible for my Cyclospora infection? Can I sue for a Cyclospora infection?
In many cases, the answer is “Yes.”
The lawyers at OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers have handled hundreds of Cyclospora legal claims. Call us today at (888) 828-0787 to reach out to us.
Food companies that sell Cyclospora-contaminated products that cause illness can be held financially responsible for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Though every case is unique, generally speaking, if you can prove you had Cyclospora and also prove the likely source, you can probably maintain a legal claim for your cyclosporaisis.
People sickened with Cyclospora often experience diarrhea, nausea, a fever, abdominal pain, and headaches. These symptoms can last several weeks if left untreated.
Antibiotics are often used to treat the condition. However, many people are allergic to the Sulfa antibiotic most effectively used to treat Cyclospora infections, Bactrim.
Even after treatment, post-infectious symptoms like fecal incontinence, post-infectious IBS, or post-infectious headaches can plague sufferers for months or years.
Cyclospora is a parasite that is shed in the feces of infected humans—food products simply should not be contaminated with human fecal material. Though Cyclospora oocysts are not infectious immediately after being excreted, they can contaminate food products and sporulate. When humans consume food products that are contaminated with sporulated Cyclospora oocysts, they can get sick. The organisms then use the person as a host, reproducing in the cells of the small intestine, which makes the person sick.
If you are experiencing symptoms of Cyclospora, it is important to seek medical attention. A Cyclospora infection is diagnosed by analysis of a stool sample. A positive stool sample is extremely helpful in proving a legal case for cyclosporiasis.
If you test positive for Cyclospora, the illness can be properly reported to public health authorities as a “reportable disease.” When illnesses are reported, epidemiologists can more accurately track outbreaks and potentially link your illness to a source. Since Cyclospora often contaminates produce on the farm, farmers must prevent contamination. The FDA has offered guidance to farmers for preventing contamination.
Public health authorities like the CDC and state counterparts monitor outbreaks of Cyclospora. The number of Cyclospora illnesses reported in the last few years has high, with nearly 3,000 cases in 2018 alone.
The lawyers at OFT have successfully represented individuals who have been sickened with Cyclospora from restaurants, produce items, salad mixes, and herbs. Many of these cases resolved without litigation. If you would like to speak to a lawyer about a potential Cyclospora claim, please contact us for a free consultation.
Call OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers today at (888) 828-0787 to reach out.
