San Francisco Department of Public Health officials said one case was associated with domestic travel outside California, while the remaining cases involved international travel. Officials said there is no known outbreak in San Francisco.
Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic illness that can cause severe diarrhea. Stanford infectious disease physician Dr. Paul Bollyky said the cases reported in San Francisco do not appear to indicate a unique local risk.
"I mean, you're still going to want to wash your salad. You're still going to want to use soap and water on your hands. You're still going to want to cook your food and boil things before you eat them but there isn't any particular risk, I don't think, that is unique to San Francisco," Bollyky said.
MORE: Cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to shredded iceberg lettuce expands to 15 states
Bollyky also said cyclosporiasis cases tend to appear during the summer months.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 11,000 cases have been reported in 17 states as part of a multistate outbreak linked to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms sourced from Mexico and served or purchased at various locations, including Taco Bell. Some Bay Area residents said they have been paying closer attention to food safety practices.
"The berries I wash very well. The lettuce we wash. We do what we've always done because we're pretty clean eaters and we know what goes into our bodies," Mill Valley resident Jan Van Vlaenderen said.
"I think the biggest thing is I'm just watching a lot more, you know, much more careful about washing my lettuce, washing my produce, just being really thorough about that. But I still buy lettuce. I still eat my salad," said Dr. Bryan Winn, a San Rafael resident.
Public health officials are reminding everybody to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them. Officials also advise older adults and other vulnerable populations to cook vegetables and to wash their hands with soap and water before handling or preparing raw produce.
Health officials noted that the Taylor Farms lettuce linked to the outbreak has been removed from store shelves and restaurants and hope to see a decline in new cases as a result.