Woman recovering from cyclosporiasis shares horrible symptoms she experienced after being hospitalised
A woman who contracted cyclosporiasis has opened up about the impact the illness has had on her body after spending more than a week in hospital.
Jessica Mallard, from Kentucky, said she began feeling unwell on 4 July, initially believing she had picked up an ordinary stomach bug.
However, her health took a turn as the condition continued to worsen over the following days, eventually prompting her to visit a local emergency room.
She was admitted before being transferred to the Medical Center in Bowling Green, where doctors diagnosed her with Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis.
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Jessica remained in hospital from 9 July until 17 July and has since returned home. On the other hand, she says the recovery process has been far from straightforward.
Speaking to CBS News after her discharge, she admitted she was still struggling to carry out basic tasks.
She said: “I'm really, really weak.”
Jessica later added: “I struggled getting up.”
In a GoFundMe fundraiser page detailing what happened, she revealed the illness had caused severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea, nausea and such intense weakness that she was unable to eat.
She wrote: “I was under severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhea, very weak, and not able to eat anything.”
Jessica was placed on a strict liquid diet and said she needed nine IVs at different stages to deliver medication. She also underwent several X-rays and ultrasounds, while doctors monitored repeated drops in both her magnesium levels and blood pressure.
Her symptoms had initially included stomach pains, diarrhoea, nausea and weakness, but she said she tried to treat the illness herself before seeking medical help when it failed to improve.
Jessica believes she became infected after eating bagged salad, telling health officials that she regularly ate the same shredded iceberg lettuce bought from her local Walmart and supplied by Taylor Farms.
CBS reported that the US Food and Drug Administration remained confident its traceback investigation pointed towards iceberg lettuce grown by Taylor Farms in central Mexico, despite an earlier test result being deemed a false positive.
Taylor Farms previously said the FDA had not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora, while Mexico's health minister has reportedly disputed claims that the outbreak originated at a lettuce farm in the country.
Already known to cause ‘explosive diarrhoea’ in previous cases, cyclosporiasis is usually spread when someone consumes food or water contaminated with the parasite.
Its symptoms can include frequent watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, bloating, loss of appetite and extreme tiredness.
Jessica said doctors had wanted to keep her in hospital longer to continue monitoring her magnesium, blood pressure and the parasite, but agreed she could recover at home while checking her own blood pressure and taking prescribed medication.
The illness has also kept her away from work, while her husband has missed shifts to support her and care for their children.
Explaining why she started the fundraiser, Jessica wrote: “This has unfortunately put us in a financial burden, and not to mention has put me under more stress alongside what I’ve been and currently going through.”
Topics: Health
Ben Williams