Cyclospora outbreak surges past 1,700 cases across dozens of states, with Michigan the hardest hit. Should I be worried?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

U.S. health officials are still investigating the source of an intestinal illness that causes "explosive" diarrhea and has now sickened more than 1,700 people confirmed nationwide, with at least 1,500 additional cases pending confirmation. The outbreak's largest cluster remains in Michigan.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal, stomach-churning illness caused by a parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis. People become infected by consuming contaminated food or water that contains the parasite. The symptoms of cyclosporiasis are similar to those of other food-borne illnesses like norovirus, E. coli or salmonella, except that cyclosporiasis "lasts longer and symptoms can get a little better and then they can come back," Dr. Jade Le, infectious diseases service line chief at Access TeleCare, told Yahoo.

Michigan has now confirmed more than 1,562 cases, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services, with at least 36 people hospitalized so far. To put the scale in perspective, Michigan typically records only about 50 cyclospora cases per year.

At least four other states have documented more than 100 cases in this recent outbreak. Ohio counties bordering southeast Michigan alone have tracked more than 500 cases, including 306 in Lucas County, according to CNN. New York has reported 394 confirmed cases since May, North Carolina has documented 110 cases, and Illinois local reports show around 150 cases.

https://health.yahoo.com/conditions/infectious/parasites/article/cyclospora-outbreak-surges-past-1700-cases-across-dozens-of-states-with-michigan-the-hardest-hit-should-i-be-worried-170436265.html

[bucolic_frolic]

1. RFKJr put the purity in the food /nt

[Ritabert]

2. We stopped eating raw veggies after the romaine lettuce scare a few years ago.

We cook everything now.

[ColoringFool]

5. I bought a slice of watermelon the other day, having never bought any ....

in the last 50 years!

Now it's garbage!

[Ritabert]

9. I agree. Nothing's as good as it used to be.

[B.See]

3. We can rest assured that with the Trump crime syndicate

Last edited Sun Jul 12, 2026, 05:23 PM - Edit history (1)

and RFknK's seedy-C at the helm, we'll all be FULLY informed by highly credentialed scientists and specialists in the...

nahhh. We should be worried. And not just about cyclosporiasis.

[Rver]

4. I think that's what happened to a friend

of mine last month. I saw him a week or so after it happened. Looked terrible. Took him a few weeks to recover.

[surfered]

6. The CDC stopped monitoring the parasite now causing explosive diarrhea.

RFK, Jr is at it again.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cdc-stopped-monitoring-diarrhea-parasite_n_6a51348fe4b057296980d94b

[Soul_of_Wit]

7. Be more worried if you or a loved one are at higher risk

Older immune systems and the immunocompromised would be hit harder. Pre-packaged vegetables are riskier. Choose to tear up your own head of lettuce instead of buying that bag of "pre-washed" lettuce (even though you were going to rinse it anyway.) Fuzzier fruits are riskier both for disease and for holding onto any pesticides. Frozen raspberries for a smoothie are safer than fresh raspberries. Cooking vegetables and fruits is the safest, but I'm not giving up salads with raw vegetables anytime soon.

[CountAllVotes]

8. I have been very ill for a week

Guess what? It started with explosive diarrhea.

It was severe for about a day and then came a sore throat and a fever.

Now I've got a slight cough and my the pain in my stomach is back again.

I was asleep for close to two days.

I don't feel much better. I thought it was food poisoning when it began.

Stay well friends!

[bluestarone]

11. Sorry to hear. Just wanted to say i hope this starts to get better!!

[CountAllVotes]

12. Thank you

Needless to say, me too!

[multigraincracker]

10. If you live in SE Michigan,

Don’t eat at Taco Bell.

[hlthe2b]

13. If you are immunocompromised you should be extremely careful and concerned, yes.

Thoroughly wash all fruits, vegetables and leaf lettuce--with pressure spray, soaking, spinning. Vinegar or Lemon juice rinse may help too.

Most healthy individuals will clear the parasite on there own with time (potentially several days up to intermittent impacts over weeks). However, if you develop severe diarrhea-- with some nausea but more diarrhea than vomiting and no fever that is extremely persistent, you have other concerning health conditions, or you are unable to drink enough fluids to replace that which you have lost (including electrolytes) then you will need to go to an Urgent Care, ER, or other clinic prepared to both submit your stool sample for confirmation (both bacterial AND PARASITIC!) and give fluids if necessary.

IF and I mean this IF you are allergic to sulfa drugs, you need to let the clinic know as the absolute preferred, best, data-supported treatment is Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. If you are sick enough to need IV fluids and have not shown any potential to clear the parasite on your own, then they will want to treat. If you are allergic, there is a drug that is effective, yet its use for Cyclospora is off-label. This is not unusual as FDA does not always extend a wide enough approval for related parasitic organisms or other uses on first "pass." But physicians have the ability to prescribe it off label (nitazoxanide, combined with aggressive fluid therapy has been shown to be an effective off-label alternative for the sulfa-allergic)

I'm getting really detailed because I am sick and tired of seeing patients come in the ER--seen by others who did not even consider this parasite (or any other) as the cause of diarrhea and thus inappropriately tested (bacteria only) and treated with an ineffective antibiotic.

[DET]

14. Thanks for the Info!

I’m allergic to sulfa drugs and it’s good to know that there’s an alternative treatment.