The number of cyclosporiasis cases in the US has risen sharply. The parasitic intestinal illness causes watery diarrhea, and health officials say Michigan is seeing an unusually large outbreak.
By Monday, July 6, Michigan’s health department had received reports of nearly 700 cases, ABC News writes. Six days earlier, there had been 170. The new figure is almost 14 times the state’s annual average of about 50 cases.
On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 400 cases in 18 states. The CDC, together with the Food and Drug Administration, is investigating “worrisome” clusters of infections.
“The true number of people sick with cyclosporiasis is likely higher than the number reported,” the CDC said. The agency noted that many people recover without seeking medical care or being tested.
Cyclosporiasis is rarely life-threatening, and no deaths have been reported during the current outbreak. The illness, however, can be severe.
Symptoms include cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, a slight fever, and vomiting. The most common symptom, according to the CDC, is watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.
The disease is caused by the Cyclospora parasite, which spreads through raw produce and water contaminated with human feces. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2022, hundreds of people in Florida became ill after eating salad kits containing contaminated lettuce.
On average, symptoms appear about a week after infection, but the period can range from two days to two weeks. The illness is usually not transmitted from person to person.
In Michigan, experts expect the number of detected cases to keep rising, as more people seek testing and treatment after reports of the outbreak.
State chief medical executive Natasha Bagdasarian told ABC that a significant amount of time can pass between exposure to contaminated products or materials and the onset of symptoms. She said the 678 cases registered by Monday were a “moving target.”
ABC also reported a noticeable rise in cases in Ohio. According to the state health department, 177 cases had been registered there by July 2, 171 of them after June 20.
While authorities are trying to determine a possible link between clusters, the most prominent of which have been identified in southeastern Michigan, including Detroit, the CDC says there is no evidence of a connection to outbreaks in other states.
According to the CDC’s latest data from July 1, cases had been recorded in 17 states, with 20 people hospitalized.
Cases of this type of illness usually rise in summer, which is why the CDC refers to the period from May 1 to August 31 as “cyclosporiasis season.”
Doctors recommend cooking fresh produce when possible, and if it is eaten raw, washing it thoroughly under clean running water.