Mystery of explosive diarrhea parasite outbreak in the US

Key Points:

• Over 140 people across 20 states, primarily in New York, have been sickened by the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite between May and mid-June, with 20 hospitalizations but no deaths reported so far.
• The CDC suspects contaminated food as the source since none of the patients had recent travel history or evidence of human-to-human transmission, and investigations by local and federal health authorities are ongoing.
• Cyclosporiasis causes symptoms such as explosive watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and fatigue, typically appearing about a week after infection, and can last for a month or more without treatment.
• Treatment involves antibiotics like trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and the CDC advises following food safety guidelines and being cautious with fresh, imported produce, which has been linked to past outbreaks.
• States with reported cases include New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Texas, Illinois, and several others, with the actual number of infections likely higher due to undiagnosed cases.