Parasite Spreads Across the U.S., Infections Rise
A concerning parasite that can cause symptoms like watery diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue is reportedly spreading throughout the U.S., with health officials confirming over 140 cases so far.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that from May 1 to June 16, 145 individuals aged between five and 86 have contracted Cyclospora cayetanensis. Out of these, twenty people have been hospitalized. While the infections are noted in 17 states, New York has seen the highest number of cases.
Interestingly, none of the infected individuals have recently traveled abroad. Officials suspect food may be the source of the outbreak, but specific types of food linked to the infections have not yet been identified.
This particular parasite leads to a condition known as cyclosporiasis, which healthcare providers are required to report to federal authorities due to its classification as a “nationally notifiable disease.” Symptoms typically surface about a week after infection, with the most prominent being watery diarrhea.
Alongside diarrhea, victims might experience symptoms like loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, and increased gas. Some report additional issues such as vomiting, body aches, headaches, and low-grade fever. That said, even though cyclosporiasis might resolve without treatment, the illness can persist for several days or even weeks, according to the CDC.
Typically, this parasite infection is linked to individuals who have ingested contaminated food or water while traveling abroad. However, in this case, the current patients haven’t reported any recent trips, which raises questions about local contamination.
There’s also no indication that this infection can spread directly between individuals, suggesting that those currently sick most likely contracted it through food consumed domestically.
The CDC has stated that local, state, and federal health authorities are looking into several clusters of cases across states to determine potential sources of the outbreak, which is still under investigation.
New York has reported between 31 and 80 cases, holding the record for the most infections of any state at this time. There are cases noted in several other states including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, and more. Both Illinois and Texas have seen between 11 and 30 cases, while other states have reported fewer than ten.
Interestingly, cases tend to increase during the summer months, and the CDC marks May 1 through August 31 as cyclosporiasis season. Thankfully, no deaths have been linked to this recent outbreak.
As of mid-June, reports indicated 45 cases of cyclosporiasis associated with individuals who consumed contaminated food or drinks abroad, three of whom ended up in the hospital. No fatalities have been recorded as of the latest update.
