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Outbreak of cyclosporiasis in British Columbia associated with imported Thai basil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2004

L. M. N. HOANG ,
M. FYFE ,
C. ONG ,
J. HARB ,
S. CHAMPAGNE ,
B. DIXON  and
J. ISAAC-RENTON
L. M. N. HOANG
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
M. FYFE
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
C. ONG
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
J. HARB
Affiliation:
Health Canada Field Epidemiology Training Program, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
S. CHAMPAGNE
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Laboratory Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
B. DIXON
Affiliation:
Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
J. ISAAC-RENTON
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Laboratory Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Abstract

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Sporadic outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, a common cause of protracted diarrhoea in underdeveloped countries, are often undetected and undiagnosed in industrial countries. In May 2001, an outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis gastroenteritis was identified in British Columbia, Canada, with 17 reported cases. We conducted a case-control study involving 12 out of the 17 reported and confirmed case patients. Eleven (92%) of the patients had consumed Thai basil, an essential ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine, compared to 3 out of 16 (19%) of the control patients (P=0·003). Trace-back investigations implicated Thai basil imported via the United States as the vehicle for this outbreak. This is the first documented sporadic outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to Thai basil in Canada, and the first outbreak of cyclosporiasis identified in an ethnic immigrant population. This outbreak provides the opportunity to increase our understanding of this emerging pathogen and improve on our prevention and control for future outbreaks.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 133 , Issue 1 , February 2005 , pp. 23 - 27
Copyright
2004 Cambridge University Press