A foodborne illness reported in more than 30 states this summer has, in some cases, been linked to some bad basil exported from Mexico.
The Food and Drug Administration said basil exported from Siga Logistics de RL de CV, which is based in Morelos, Mexico, is the source of 132 illnesses in 11 states — many of which are on the East Coast.
Though the FDA doesn’t include D.C., Maryland or Virginia on the list with cases tied back to the basil in question, health officials in D.C. now say at least some of the cases seen locally in recent weeks are connected.
D.C. officials said there have been 14 cases of people contracting cyclosporiasis so far this year, after seeing only eight cases all of last year. The city is working to figure out how many cases originated with this basil.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite cyclospora, and those who contract this foodborne illness typically react to it like food poisoning, with all of the uncomfortable moments that come with that, but only in extreme cases does it lead someone to visit a doctor. Even when that happens, it’s not something that’s usually tested for unless you specifically ask for it.
Right now, if digestive issues that seem related to food poisoning send you to the doctor, the FDA would like you to request that particular test.
An outbreak of intestinal illness was first detected in Northern Virginia last month and has been confirmed in Richmond and also throughout Maryland.
There typically are about nine cases a year of cyclosporiasis in the commonwealth; since May, 39 cases have been confirmed by the Virginia Department of Health.
Cases under investigation in Virginia involved workplace cafeterias that aren’t accessible to the general public:
- Capital One Building at 1600 Capital One Drive, McLean 22102
- Valo Park Building at 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean 22102
- CarMax at 12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway, Richmond 23238
Maryland’s Department of Health reports 42 cases have been confirmed in multiple jurisdictions across the state this year; 37 of those cases were reported over the last two weeks, corresponding with an overall recent rise in reported cyclosporiasis cases in other parts of the U.S.
WTOP’s Kristi King contributed to this report.
