A type that causes diarrhea Parasite The virus has infected people in 31 states, with several places reporting an increase in infections over the past two weeks compared with a year ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s what you need to know about the situation.
What is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a tiny parasite that can cause cyclosporiasissevere gastrointestinal disease. It is spread through contaminated food and water. Health officials have not determined the specific source of the current outbreak in the United States.
Where was it found?
The Midwest has been the epicenter of the outbreak. As of July 10, Michigan had the highest number of reported infections in the state, with 1,562, the health department said. Other states, including New York, Illinois and Ohio, are reporting significant increases in cases. According to the CDC, case numbers tend to increase in the spring and summer.
Since May 1, as of July 10, the CDC has registered more than 800 confirmed cases. The agency is still analyzing more than 1,500 cases. Those numbers are an underestimate because CDC data lags behind state health departments.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include watery discharge diarrhealoss of appetite and weight loss, but infected people may not show symptoms. Symptoms usually take about a week to appear.
The infection can be treated with common antibiotics, including Bactrim or Septra. There is currently no vaccine against the disease.
How does it spread?
The disease spreads indirectly from person to person. The parasite survives in produce or water for one to two weeks and is harmful to humans if ingested. An infected person can spread the pathogen by touching food with unclean hands.
Outbreaks in the United States have been linked to a variety of fresh produce, including basil, cilantro, lettuce and raspberries.
The CDC recommends avoiding food or water that may contain feces, especially in tropical or subtropical areas. Otherwise, people should wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly and cut off any damaged or bruised areas.
So far, no deaths due to the epidemic have been recorded.
What is the source?
The CDC and Food and Drug Administration are working to determine the source of the outbreak. The Michigan health department advises people to stop eating bagged lettuce and wash basil, cilantro and raspberries thoroughly as a precaution.
Bloomberg previously reported that some Taco Bell franchises in southeastern Michigan have stopped serving lettuce during the outbreak. Contact with Taco Bell has not been established and the company declined to comment.
Have CDC cuts affected tracking?
The CDC will stop tracking cyclosporiasis and five other foodborne diseases through its FoodNet surveillance system in 2025. FoodNet is the agency’s real-time tracker of food-related illnesses, designed to quickly detect outbreaks in partnership with 10 state health departments.
Cyclosporiasis remains a notifiable disease to health departments, meaning they must report positive cases to the CDC. However, the lack of FoodNet data limits the U.S.’s ability to track the unfolding outbreak in real time.
