W’chester Health Dept. Issues Alert After Parasitic Illness Traced to Mt. Kisco Events
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Two positive cases of toxoplasmosis stemming from one of two events at the American Legion Hall in Mount Kisco last month prompted the Westchester County Health Department to issue an urgent alert last Wednesday.
Health officials are calling on anyone who ate food or consumed leftovers from the game dinners at the Moses Taylor Jr. American Legion Post on Friday, Jan. 19 or Saturday Jan. 20 to immediately contact their doctor about potential exposure.
Toxoplasmosis Is an illness from a parasite generally caused by eating undercooked meat, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
While many people do not get symptoms, some people with the parasite develop a flu-like illness that lasts a few weeks that can include muscle aches, headaches, fever with chills and sweats, fatigue, a sore throat or swollen lymph nodes, the Health Department’s advisory noted.
However, toxoplasmosis is an illness that can cause birth defects or miscarriages in pregnant women, can be deadly for those with a weakened immune system or result in prolonged visual deficits in those with eye symptoms, the health alert stated.
The Health Department is asking anyone who attended either one of those dinners and who is pregnant, immunosuppressed, experiencing visual changes or eye symptoms or any other symptoms, to call 914-813-5180 during business hours and 914-813-5000 after hours.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
