(LANSING) - Michigan health officials are urging residents to avoid bagged lettuce and packaged salad mixes as the state's cyclosporiasis outbreak grows to more than 3,700 cases.
Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian described the state as the center of the outbreak, which has now sickened more than 5,000 people nationwide.
The illness is caused by the Cyclospora parasite and can produce severe, prolonged diarrhea along with other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating several outbreaks linked to fresh produce. Michigan health officials have not yet identified the specific source of the state's outbreak.
While that investigation continues, residents are being advised to avoid packaged lettuce and salad mixes.
Branch County remained at four reported cases in the latest figures released Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.