CDC Issues Health Alert Over Diarrhea-Causing Parasite

Doctors and other health professionals should be aware of the jump in infections caused by a parasite called Cyclospora, officials say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 25, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted health professionals on July 14 about the spike in cases of cyclosporiasis, a disease caused by a bacteria called Cyclospora, as investigators try to pinpoint what is behind the jump.

Doctors and other professionals should be aware that case numbers are higher than normal this summer, with 1,645 cases reported to the CDC as of Tuesday and thousands of other suspected cases, the CDC said in a health alert.

“This goes out to clinicians and public health partners nationwide, reminding them what we want to look for in patients with prolonged gastrointestinal illness, and encouraging them to specifically request Cyclospora testing, since it isn’t part of routine school testing panels,” Gwen Biggerstaff, deputy director of the CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, told reporters on a call.

Patients presenting with watery diarrhea may have cyclosporiasis and doctors should request stool testing to confirm whether they do have the disease, the CDC said in the alert. Doctors should advise people to stay hydrated, particularly if they’re suffering from frequent or severe diarrhea.

Providers should take standard precautions, such as wearing gloves, when there might be direct contact with feces.

The CDC said it has received reports of 1,645 confirmed cases, primarily from four states in the Midwest, and that it is aware of more than 5,100 suspected cases. About one in 10 patients have been hospitalized. No deaths have been recorded.

Michigan providers have reported 3,309 cases, authorities there said on Tuesday.

Cyclospora spreads when people eat food or drink water contaminated with feces. Person-to-person transmission is not likely, according to the CDC.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said this week that the outbreak may stem from contaminated lettuce or salad greens, but that no specific type of produce, grower, or supplier has been identified as of yet.

The CDC and Food and Drug Administration are working with states to investigate the source or sources of the outbreak, federal officials said.

The outbreak is likely comprised of multiple clusters, Donald Prater, the FDA’s acting deputy commissioner for food, told reporters on a call. The evidence to date, though, indicates that cases in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia are from a common source, Biggerstaff said.

Other states have reported more cases than typical, including Connecticut and New York.

While the investigation is ongoing, officials recommend that people wash their hands before and after handling produce, wash produce thoroughly before eating or preparing, and opt for cooking produce at temperatures of at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cyclosporiasis symptoms usually start two days to two weeks after being infected. The primary symptom of cyclosporiasis is watery, loose diarrhea. Other symptoms can include loss of appetite, cramping, and fatigue.

If a person develops prolonged watery diarrhea, along with other symptoms, they should contact their healthcare provider and request specific stool testing for Cyclospora, according to the CDC.