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John Asher, M.D., medical director of the Jetti Katz Tropical Disease Lab, provides answers to commonly asked questions about the outbreak and how New Yorkers can protect themselves:
Q: What is cyclospora?
Dr. Asher: Cyclospora cayetanensis is a protozoan parasite that can cause diarrhea, nausea and fatigue, as well as cramping, weight loss, aching muscles and fever.
Q: How dangerous is it?
Dr. Asher: It is not usually fatal but its symptoms can be severe and can last a month or more. Anyone who believes he/she has been affected by it should see a doctor right away for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Q: What is causing the current outbreak?
Dr. Asher: City health officials think it was caused by cyclospora in strawberries, perhaps in a shipment from California.
Q: What should I do to avoid getting sick? Will washing the berries make them safe?
Dr. Asher: No, washing is not enough since the organism may have burrowed into the berry. I recommend not eating strawberries until the city health department says it's safe to do so.
Q: What should I do if I think I have a case of the illness caused by cyclospora?
Dr. Asher: Accurate diagnosis is critical since cyclospora can easily be treated with Septra DS. If you think you have contracted cyclospora, see your doctor right away.
Q: Is cyclospora in other foods or in water?
Dr. Asher: There is no evidence of cyclospora contamination currently in any other food or in the city's water. Cyclospora has been found in the past in diarrhea outbreaks in Westchester and Florida, and in a few isolated cases in New York.
ABOUT JETTI KATZ
Jetti Katz, a diagnostic laboratory specializing in tropical diseases, was founded in Manhattan by an Austrian pathologist more than 60 years ago. Currently, Jetti Katz has an annual patient base of nearly 10,000 people and prides itself on its consistent pattern of superior performance and efficacy in detecting and identifying parasites and other intestinal organisms that are present in its patients.
ABOUT JOHN ASHER, M.D.
John Asher, M.D., an infectious disease specialist, began consulting with the laboratory in 1979 to study the relationship of the high rates of intestinal parasitic infections among HIV seropositive gay men. Dr. Asher is now president and medical director of Jetti Katz.
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CONTACT: M. Booth & Associates Heather Berg, 212/481-7000 or 201/601-3145 or Jetti Katz Tropical Disease Laboratory John Asher, M.D., 212/472-3542 or 212/876-1492
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