Health Journal Online

Tag: released

  • Michigan Officials Released Specific Produce Washing Instructions During the Cyclospora Outbreak

    Michigan Officials Released Specific Produce Washing Instructions During the Cyclospora Outbreak

    Michigan health officials have released specific, produce-by-produce washing and handling instructions for consumers as the state’s Cyclospora outbreak surpassed 1,562 confirmed cases as of July 10, 2026 — the largest outbreak of the parasitic illness in Michigan’s history, and the source of which remains unidentified.

    The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released its detailed prevention guidance on July 4 and July 6, 2026, issuing instructions that go further than general “wash your produce” advice — spelling out, vegetable by vegetable, exactly what consumers should buy, how to prepare it, and when cooking is the safest choice.

    No specific produce grower, supplier, or food type has been identified as the source of the outbreak as of July 10.

    Why This Matters

    Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic parasite that attaches tenaciously to produce surfaces — and standard washing does not guarantee its removal. The CDC notes that Cyclospora can cling to leafy vegetables and herbs in ways that make thorough removal challenging, which is why officials recommend specific preparation methods that reduce risk beyond a simple rinse.

    With more than 1,562 cases confirmed in Michigan and several hundred additional cases in adjacent areas of Ohio and other states, and with no food source yet named, consumers do not have a specific product to avoid. That gap makes produce safety guidance from health officials especially important: without knowing which item is contaminated, the most prudent approach is to take extra precautions with all fresh produce linked to prior Cyclospora outbreaks.

    Michigan officials have emphasized these recommendations for anyone preparing raw produce — especially people who are immunocompromised, elderly, on chemotherapy, or otherwise at higher risk of serious illness from dehydration or infection. The MDHHS also extended the guidance to restaurants and commercial kitchens in southeast Michigan.

    What We Know So Far

    The MDHHS outbreak dashboard showed 1,562 confirmed cases as of the morning of July 10, 2026. Cases have been reported in at least 44 Michigan counties, concentrated in Monroe, Wayne, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston counties — all in southeastern Michigan.

    The outbreak began June 22, 2026. Michigan typically sees 40 to 50 cases per year; the current outbreak has produced more than 30 times the annual average in under three weeks.

    Approximately 44 hospitalized cases have been reported to date, according to the MDHHS dashboard. No deaths have been reported.

    The CDC and FDA are assisting Michigan investigators with whole-genome sequencing of parasite isolates and epidemiological traceback. As of July 10, no common food vehicle has been identified despite more than two weeks of active investigation.

    The Produce-Specific Safety Guide From MDHHS

    The following instructions are drawn directly from MDHHS official guidance released July 4–6, 2026, confirmed across multiple MDHHS communications and media outlets.

    Lettuce and Leafy Greens

    What to buy: Buy whole heads of lettuce rather than pre-washed, bagged lettuce or salad mixes. Pre-cut and pre-washed bagged salad kits have been linked to prior Cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada.

    How to prepare: Remove and discard the outer two to three leaves. Wash the remaining inner leaves thoroughly under running water.

    Safest option: For leafy greens that can be cooked, cooking is the safest option. Cooking to 158°F (70°C) or higher kills the Cyclospora parasite.

    Cilantro and Basil

    How to prepare: Wash thoroughly under running water. Separate the individual leaves from the stems as you wash — this increases the surface area that running water contacts and reduces the chance of parasite survival between leaves.

    Safest option: Both cilantro and basil are safest when cooked. Using them as cooked ingredients in hot dishes reduces exposure risk more than using them raw.

    Note: MDHHS did not recommend consumers stop buying or eating cilantro and basil. The guidance is about safe preparation, not elimination of these foods.

    Green Onions

    How to prepare: Trim the root end. Remove and discard the outer layer. Wash the remainder thoroughly under running water.

    Safest option: As with leafy greens, cooking green onions eliminates parasite risk. Use them in stir-fries, soups, or other hot preparations when possible during the outbreak.

    Other Produce: Universal Rules

    For all other fruits and vegetables, MDHHS recommends:

    • Wash all fresh produce under clean running water before eating or preparing, even produce with rinds or peels you do not eat
    • Scrub firm fruits and vegetables — such as melons, cucumbers, and potatoes — with a clean produce brush
    • Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before eating
    • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling or preparing any produce
    • Wash and sanitize cutting boards, knives, and other utensils before and after contact with raw produce

    The Heating Rule: 158°F Kills Cyclospora

    The single most reliable way to eliminate Cyclospora from produce is heat. MDHHS confirms that cooking food to 158°F (70°C) or higher kills the parasite. This applies to any produce on the concern list. If you can cook it, do.

    What Not to Buy During the Outbreak

    MDHHS has specifically noted that the following have been linked to prior U.S. and Canadian Cyclospora outbreaks, and should be treated with extra caution:

    • Pre-washed, bagged salad mixes and kits (including pre-cut lettuce blends with romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, and carrots)
    • Fresh cilantro
    • Fresh basil
    • Green onions
    • Raspberries (linked to prior outbreaks, though not specifically identified as a source in this outbreak)
    • Snow peas

    MDHHS is not advising consumers to stop buying these items entirely — only to apply the specific preparation steps above, choose cooked preparations where possible, and avoid pre-washed bagged versions of lettuce.

    Where the Risk Is Highest

    Southeastern Michigan and the areas immediately across the Ohio border (including Lucas County and northwest Ohio, where more than 500 cases have been reported) represent the current epicenter of risk. However, because no food source has been identified, and because fresh produce from Michigan’s supply region is distributed nationally, these guidelines are relevant for consumers across the Midwest and beyond who buy fresh produce from common grocery chains and distributors.

    People at highest risk for serious illness from Cyclospora include:

    • Immunocompromised individuals (transplant recipients, chemotherapy patients, people with HIV)
    • Adults over 65
    • Infants and young children
    • Pregnant individuals

    MDHHS specifically noted that the guidance is especially important for these groups.

    What Health Officials Say

    Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said the state’s leading hypothesis is that the outbreak is likely related to fresh produce, based on the geographic pattern of cases, the timing of the outbreak during summer produce season, and the historical pattern of Cyclospora outbreaks in North America. She confirmed the state is conducting food exposure interviews with all confirmed cases and performing whole-genome sequencing on parasite samples to narrow the search for a common source.

    “All fresh produce — and not just the ones I listed — should be thoroughly washed under running water,” Dr. Bagdasarian stated in public communications this week. “If it has leaves, like cilantro and basil, separate them as you wash them.”

    The CDC adds that Cyclospora can really stick to some foods, and washing alone may not fully eliminate the risk from contaminated produce — reinforcing that cooking is the most reliable protective step available to consumers right now.

    Symptoms and Warning Signs to Watch For

    Cyclospora typically causes symptoms beginning one week after exposure, though onset can range from two days to more than two weeks. Symptoms include:

    • Watery diarrhea, which can be frequent and explosive
    • Loss of appetite
    • Prolonged fatigue
    • Abdominal cramping and bloating
    • Nausea, and occasionally vomiting
    • Low-grade fever

    Without antibiotic treatment, symptoms can persist for weeks to months and may relapse after seeming to improve. The illness does not spread person-to-person.

    Seek medical care if:

    • Diarrhea lasts more than a few days
    • Symptoms include signs of dehydration (very little urination, dry mouth, dizziness)
    • You are immunocompromised, elderly, pregnant, or caring for a young child with symptoms
    • Symptoms worsened rather than improving

    A specific laboratory request is needed for Cyclospora diagnosis. Standard stool testing does not always detect the parasite. Ask your clinician specifically to test for Cyclospora if you suspect exposure.

    What You Can Do Now

    • Switch to whole-head lettuce. Put down the bagged salad mix and buy an intact head of romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce. Remove the outer leaves before washing the inner ones.
    • Wash herbs leaf by leaf under running water. For cilantro and basil, separate the individual leaves from stems as you rinse.
    • Trim and peel green onions before washing. Remove the root end and outer layer, then wash thoroughly.
    • Cook produce when you can. During an active Cyclospora outbreak with an unknown source, cooking any fresh produce at risk to 158°F eliminates parasite risk more reliably than washing alone.
    • Wash hands before and after produce handling. Use soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
    • Sanitize surfaces and tools that contact raw produce, including cutting boards and knives.
    • See a doctor if you develop prolonged diarrhea, particularly if you live in southeast Michigan or adjacent Ohio counties. Specify that you want to be tested for Cyclospora.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    Cyclospora treatment with the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is available in generic form at very low cost — typically $4 to $10 at most pharmacies with a prescription. Most health insurance plans cover it.

    The parasite-specific stool test required for diagnosis is typically covered by insurance when ordered by a clinician. For uninsured patients, local health department clinics can provide evaluation and testing during an active outbreak at no or low cost. Find your local Michigan health department at Michigan.gov/mdhhs.

    What Happens Next

    The MDHHS outbreak dashboard updates daily through the investigation period. Whole-genome sequencing results comparing parasite samples across cases could provide the key link to a common food source — a result that could trigger a specific product recall or advisory.

    If a food source is identified, MDHHS, the FDA, and CDC will issue a public advisory and, if warranted, a product recall notice. Until then, the produce preparation guidance described in this article represents the most protective steps available to consumers.

    MedicalDaily will update this story when a food source is identified or case counts change materially.

    The Bottom Line

    Michigan’s Cyclospora outbreak has now reached 1,562 confirmed cases with no food source identified. Until investigators pinpoint a specific product, your best protection is: buy whole heads of lettuce rather than pre-cut bagged mixes; separate and wash cilantro and basil leaves thoroughly under running water; trim and peel green onions before washing; cook any suspect produce to 158°F when possible; and see a clinician for any diarrheal illness lasting more than a few days, specifying that you want Cyclospora testing. These are not suggestions — they are official MDHHS instructions, and they apply nationally given the reach of produce supply chains.

    Source link

  • Indiana Doctors Go To Court To Keep Terminated Pregnancy Reports From Being Released To The Public

    Indiana Doctors Go To Court To Keep Terminated Pregnancy Reports From Being Released To The Public

    Two abortion providers in Indiana advocating against the release of individual terminated pregnancy reports have taken the matter to court, filing a lawsuit in Marion County to keep the records private.

    Licensed OB-GYN physicians Caitlin Bernard and Caroline Rouse filed the suit to prevent the Indiana Department of Health from releasing documents relating to terminated pregnancies under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act, stating that such records are exempt and do not have to be divulged, Inside Indiana Business reported.

    If released, the reports would not reveal the names of the patients who terminated pregnancies, but would include other personal information such as age, race and county of residence. The reports would also list the name of the physician who performed the abortion.

    “We are once again in court defending our patients and their right to privacy,” Bernard and Rouse said in a joint statement, as reported by The Hill.

    “Everyone receiving medical care deserves to have their personal health decisions and pregnancy outcomes protected. There is no reason to release this sensitive information to the public. We will keep fighting to protect patients’ privacy and the trust between doctors and patients,” they continued.

    Bernard gained national attention after speaking out about a patient who she had helped to receive an abortion in 2022: a 10-year-old girl from Ohio who had reportedly been sexually assaulted.

    The Indiana Department of Health stopped releasing individual reports of terminated pregnancies following the state’s implementation of a near-total abortion ban, continuing only to release aggregate reports of terminated pregnancies within the state.

    From July to September of 2023, the IDOH reported 764 abortions. Only 17 of these were performed after August when abortion bans took effect. The agency then addressed concerns that identifying reports could be “reverse-engineered” to identify patients who terminated pregnancies due to the small number of abortions being carried out within the state.

    “Given that the report is populated with information that could be reverse engineered to identify patients — especially in smaller communities — (IDOH argues) that the required quarterly reports should suffice in terms of satisfying any disclosure and transparency considerations,” the December informal opinion from Public Access Counselor Luke Britt said.

    Pro-life advocacy group Voices for Life continued to sue the state of Indiana, demanding the release of individual reports. Voices for Life further stated it would file an appeal after the case was dismissed by a Marion County judge in 2024. However, in January 2025, Indiana’s newly elected Republican Governor, Mike Braun, demanded that the reports be publicized through executive order.

    IDOH, which settled and agreed to publicize the records, stated that they would make redactions to the reports that “adequately protect personal health identifiers and that do not inhibit examination of the terminated pregnancy reports to determine whether a physician performed an abortion in accordance with Indiana law,” per the Indiana Capitol Chronicle.

    The court has yet to set a hearing for the suit brought forward by Bernard and Rouse.

    Originally published by Latin Times.

    Source link

  • Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 released – The Nutrition Source

    The 9th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 is out, with the tagline to Make Every Bite Count. Intended for policy makers, healthcare providers, nutrition educators, and Federal nutrition program operators, the new edition has expanded to almost 150 pages, providing nutrition guidelines for even more age groups throughout the life cycle. As in the previous edition, the Dietary Guidelines emphasize dietary patterns rather than promoting specific nutrients or foods. This allows for greater flexibility in food choices, as health benefits are achieved by consuming a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods across different food categories, rather than a few “superfoods.” In addition, the Dietary Guidelines again emphasize how nutrition educators need to be aware that food choices are strongly impacted by age, race, cultural traditions, environment, food access, budget, and personal beliefs and preferences. [1]

    Highlights from the Guidelines

    What’s new:

    • Recommended dietary patterns for infants and toddlers (birth to 23 months).
    • Food allergy prevention in infants; for example, the guidelines recommend introducing peanut-containing foods as early as 4-6 months in infants at high risk for peanut allergy, to lower the risk of developing a peanut allergy.
    • An expanded comprehensive section on healthy dietary patterns and food safety during pregnancy and lactation, and recommendations for breast feeding.
    • New sections on overweight and obesity in children and pregnant women.
    • Addressing health problems stemming from obesity-related stigma and discrimination.
    • More user-friendly graphics, such as how to modify meals to be higher in nutrients while controlling calories, sugar, and sodium; sample menus; and interpreting the Nutrition Facts label.

    The key players in the “Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern” remain unchanged from the previous edition of the Guidelines:

    • Vegetables of all types—dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables
    • Fruits, especially whole fruit
    • Grains, at least half of which are whole grain
    • Dairy, including fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, and/or lactose-free versions and fortified soy beverages and yogurt as alternatives
    • Protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, and eggs; seafood; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products
    • Oils, including vegetable oils and oils in food, such as seafood and nuts

    Dietary components to limit:

    The guidelines carry over the same limits for saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium, but this time include a specific age range:

    • For added sugars, the limit is 10% or less of total calories starting at age 2. For context, drinking even one 20-ounce bottle of soda would exceed this recommended 10% limit. A new advisory suggests that infants and toddlers younger than 2 years avoid all foods and beverages containing added sugars.
    • For saturated fat, the limit is less than 10% of total calories starting at age 2.
    • For sodium, the limit is less than 2,300 milligrams daily for older teenagers and adults, and less for children younger than age 14 (1,200 mg/day for ages 1-3; 1,500 mg/day for ages 4-8; and 1,800 mg/day for ages 9-13).
    • Although the recommended amounts for alcohol have not changed, the messaging is subtly different, placing an emphasis on limiting drinks rather than drinking in moderation. The prior edition suggested up to two drinks daily for men and one drink for women. The new guidelines emphasize a limit of two drinks or less for men and 1 drink or less for women, followed by a statement that drinking less is better for health than drinking more.

    Where the Guidelines fall short

    While the Guidelines include dietary patterns that remain examples of healthy diets (“Healthy Mediterranean-Style Pattern,” and “Healthy Vegetarian Pattern”), the dietary targets for the “Healthy U.S.-Style Pattern” emphasize a diet relatively high in meat, eggs, and dairy foods. Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said this about the new Guidelines:

    In general, there was minimal change from the last edition of the Guidelines, which did include many positive suggestions. However, guidance that considers scientific evidence on specific protein sources and health, and also the environmental consequences of dietary patterns, is needed to provide Americans with advice and policies for healthy and sustainable diets. The current Dietary Guidelines fail to do this.

    Like the previous edition, the Guidelines are silent on the environmental impacts of their dietary targets, which other analyses show would have serious impacts on climate change and other environmental footprints because of the relatively large amounts of meat and dairy foods recommended. [2] Along with varying impacts on human health, different foods also have differing impacts on the environment. The production of animal-based foods tends to have higher greenhouse gas emissions than plant-based foods—and red meat (especially beef) and dairy stand out for their disproportionate impact.

    Willett points out that the Guidelines’ continued dairy recommendation of 3 servings per day has never been justified by evidence for health outcomes, and the guidance for low-fat and fat-free dairy products doesn’t detail a plan for disposal of the fat naturally present in milk:

    Because the disposal of dairy fat would be hugely wasteful, it would almost certainly remain in the food supply, which makes this recommendation somewhat of a fantasy. The report does appropriately mention that soy milk is an alternative to cow milk, but to avoid the large greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy food consumption at three servings per day, the majority of milk and dairy foods would need to be plant-based.

    Similarly, the Guidelines also recommend lean meats, but don’t discuss the fate of cuts of meat that are not lean. Willett says that realistically, they would almost certainly be consumed, “probably as cheap cuts and processed meats, especially by low-income groups who already experience excess rates of obesity and diabetes.”

    It’s notable that the overall protein recommendation leads with “lean meats,” which could be interpreted by consumers as including “lean” or “low-fat” cuts of bacon or other processed meats. Although further guidance clarifies that “most intake of meats and poultry should be from fresh, frozen, or canned, and in lean forms (e.g., chicken breast or ground turkey) versus processed meats (e.g., hot dogs, sausages, ham, luncheon meats),” [1] this statement is buried within the chapters of the guidelines, rather than emphasized within the summarized protein recommendation. This is a particularly important distinction, since consuming healthy protein sources like beans, nuts, fish, or poultry in place of red meat and processed meat can lower the risk of several diseases and premature death.

    Source link