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How to protect yourself from the diarrhea-causing parasite wreaking havoc across the US

Cyclosporiasis has sickened some 2,000 Americans so far this year.

How to protect yourself from the diarrhea-causing parasite wreaking havoc across the US

Cyclosporiasis has sickened some 2,000 Americans so far this year.

As if we needed one more thing to worry about so soon after the hantavirus scare, there is a new public health threat for Americans to contend with: a rapidly escalating outbreak of, of all things, diarrhea.

It’s a parasite-borne illness called cyclosporiasis. It can cause explosive and watery bowel movements — and it is wreaking havoc across the United States this summer.

How bad exactly? As of July 10, Michigan’s health department is reporting 1,562 cyclosporiasis cases. 44 people have been hospitalized. To put that number in context, the state normally sees about 50 cases in a year. To the south, 177 people have been infected in Ohio. According to a USA Today compilation of state health department data, more than 20 states have reported at least one cyclosporiasis case this year.

This is not our first bout with a cyclosporiasis outbreak. In 2013, the US saw more than 600 cases, and more than 500 people were sickened across the country by contaminated McDonald’s salad meals in 2018. Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite cyclospora, which can infect people when it is attached to fresh produce and then consumed. It does not, fortunately, spread from person to person. We do know some likely culprits: Bagged salads, basil, cilantro, peas, and berries have been linked to prior outbreaks.

Watery diarrhea — described by public health authorities as “frequent” and “sometimes explosive” — is the most common symptom. People can also experience cramping, bloating, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms can start anywhere between two days and two weeks after a person eats tainted food. No one has died, and thankfully, cyclosporiasis is rarely fatal. But it is an extremely unpleasant experience that could last for up to a month without treatment, and certain people, such as folks who are immunocompromised, are at higher risk of more serious complications.

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