Plant Quarantine Branch heightens surveillance for cyclosporiasis

The Plant Quarantine and Produce Inspection Branch (PQPIB) has heightened surveillance and border protection measures to prevent the entry of cyclosporiasis into Jamaica.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which triggers severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

This heightened vigilance is in response to a multi-state outbreak of the foodborne infection in the United States, with reports indicating that several illnesses have been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce.

In an interview with JIS News on Wednesday (July 22), Chief Plant Quarantine Produce Inspector, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Damian Rowe, said that while the current risk of the parasite entering the island remains contained, the
PQPIB is conducting continuous track-and-trace assessments of US suppliers.

He noted that preparations are in place to take immediate action to protect the local population if threat levels increase.

“While the risk exists, we're just ensuring that the spaces that we take food and vegetables from, that the [outbreak] is not moving towards those areas. Once we see any news media release saying that it's in the region where we are taking from, then there will be an immediate shutdown of processes for fruits and vegetables,” Mr. Rowe said.

The Chief Plant Quarantine Produce Inspector said that strict restrictions are maintained on high-risk produce, including romaine lettuce along with the iceberg variety, which is heavily consumed locally.

“That's one lettuce (romaine) that usually, from time to time, we would have to suspend import from overseas because of recalls or issues with foodborne pathogens like salmonella. So, we [haven’t] allowed romaine lettuce in our country for a very long time,” he said.

In addition, he said that Jamaica has not imported iceberg lettuce since January, noting that local producers have been meeting market demand.

Mr. Rowe told JIS News that a comprehensive, multi-agency strategy is being executed at local ports involving the PQPIB management teams, port inspectors, public health officials and border protection agencies to ensure all entry points are secure.

“You can't just put a finger on one point and say, ‘look, this is the weakest point’.

It's multiple different spaces that we have to be targeting… . We have to go as far back as speaking with our team over in the United States and ensuring that they're following good food-safety practices, that any supplier or any package or product that is actually named in the infection or possible carrier of the infection, that those labels or packages don’t actually come to Jamaica,” he outlined.

Inspector Rowe stressed that while there is absolutely no need for public panic, all players in the food industry, including supermarkets, private food companies, traders, and consumers must remain alert and practise rigorous food hygiene.

A press release from the Agriculture Ministry noted that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that as of July 18, 2026, there are 1,644 confirmed cases of Cyclosporiasis, including 94 hospitalisations.

Mr. Rowe said that cyclosporiasis is a treatable illness and advised that proven food-safety measures such as sanitisation, thorough washing of fruits and vegetables and proper cooking temperatures should be implemented to prevent exposure to the intestinal parasite.

By Vanessa James