Cyclospora spreads – Cyclospora, a diarrhea-causing parasite linked to contaminated raw produce, has sickened people across multiple states. The CDC reports 145 cases from 17 states between May 1 and June 16, with at least 20 hospitalizations. Investigations are ongoing, and healt
This July Fourth weekend, the first bite of a salad or a handful of berries could come with an unwelcome aftertaste—one that can last.
A parasite called Cyclospora is making people sick across several states, triggering ferocious and long-lasting bouts of diarrheal illness. Nationwide, 145 cases were reported by 17 states between May 1 and June 16, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 20 of those cases have led to hospitalization.
The CDC says summer is when case counts typically rise, and some states are now seeing an unusually sharp jump. Michigan. which typically identifies about 50 cases of cyclosporiasis in a year. has reported at least 170 cases clustered in seven counties over the past nine days. New York state. excluding New York City. has seen 107 cases since May 1. a number that sits alongside a typical pattern of 500 to 700 cases statewide each year.
Federal and state health officials say there is no evidence of a single multistate Cyclospora outbreak linking all cases. Investigations to identify potential clusters and sources of illness are ongoing.
Cyclospora infections, known as cyclosporiasis, are caused by a single-cell parasite carried in human feces. The parasite gets into food when water contaminated with feces is sprayed on crops. Once on plants, in the humid environment of a farm field, it begins to multiply, said Dr. David Freeman, professor emeritus of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
It can often hit travelers, but the CDC says the cases currently under investigation did not report travel in the two weeks before they got sick—an important detail that suggests the source may be tied more closely to food exposure during the period when these investigations are being conducted.
Even without a single confirmed link across all cases. Freeman said two categories of produce tend to show up again and again as sources of outbreaks: what he called the “basil and herb” category—“cilantro. basil. plants that grow and that you might put in a salad or use as a garnish”—and the fresh berry category. which he described as “strawberries. blueberries. melons. things that grow in fields.”.
The parasite is killed by heat, so cooking normally takes care of it. But as warm weather arrives and people look for ways to leave their stoves off, Cyclospora finds an opening.
A key point sits in the middle of this outbreak: the danger doesn’t require you to skip hygiene—it requires you to get it wrong. The parasite can survive until it reaches food, and once it lands on produce, the steps after purchase become the line between a picnic and a medical visit.
To keep from getting sick, it’s important to thoroughly wash all fresh produce before eating it. “Just the act of washing it with a lot of water is certainly going to get the organisms off of there,” Freeman said.
Freeman also emphasized thorough washing of hands and kitchen counters, plus cleaning cutting surfaces. But there’s a common shortcut people reach for that doesn’t solve this problem: bleach. Freeman said bleach doesn’t kill the parasite. so Clorox wipes used on the go or at a picnic won’t do the trick. Instead, thorough handwashing with soap and water and a follow-up with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer are safer bets.
Symptoms can follow quickly, but not immediately. Freeman said the primary symptoms of infection are frequent bouts of watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, and a low-grade fever. Those symptoms can start two to 14 days after eating contaminated food.
If you get sick, staying hydrated matters. Freeman added that replenishing electrolytes with a drink like Gatorade or Pedialyte is important. “If you’re having really bad diarrhea and you’re having some fever, I would probably seek medical help right away,” he said.
Cyclospora cyclosporiasis raw produce diarrhea outbreak CDC Michigan New York food safety handwashing