New Hampshire cyclosporiasis count rises as Cheshire Medical Center totals reach 30

18 of the cases have been connected to lettuce served in the cafeteria between the beginning of June to July 20

State health officials said Tuesday that New Hampshire has now logged 17 cyclosporiasis cases tied to contaminated lettuce, while Cheshire Medical Center in Keene has counted 30 infections among patients and staff, including 24 employees. At the hospital, 18 of the cases have been connected to lettuce served in the cafeteria between the beginning of June to July 20, according to a spokeswoman for Dartmouth Health, the medical center’s parent organization.

The statewide figures include 13 domestic cases that have not been connected to a specific contaminated food and three infections linked to international travel. Last week, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services had reported 20 cases in the state, including nine tied to lettuce served at Cheshire Medical Center, eight without a link to the recalled product and three related to travel abroad.

Health officials noted that the latest totals do not necessarily mean 17 or 30 people became ill during the past week. Confirmed cases often lag behind the onset of symptoms because laboratory testing takes time.

Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite found in fecal contamination and is typically acquired through food or water, not from direct spread between people. The illness is known for causing prolonged watery diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases commonly increase during the summer, but the current national total of more than 11,000 is well above expected levels.

The outbreak affecting Cheshire Medical Center has been linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, part of a broader rise in cyclospora illnesses reported across the country this summer. Officials said the lettuce connected to the 18 hospital cases was served before a recall and is no longer in use at the Keene facility. New Hampshire usually records only two to nine cyclospora infections in a year, according to a state health department spokesperson.