Ohio reports 177 cases, most since mid-June
Health officials said cases of cyclosporiasis — a parasitic illness caused by the microscopic pathogen Cyclospora cayetanensis that produces “explosive,” watery diarrhea — have grown exponentially in recent days, with the largest cluster centered in southeastern Michigan, including Detroit. The 678 cases reported to the Michigan health department as of Monday represent an almost fourfold increase from the 170 cases reported just six days earlier.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, told ABC News that the 678 cases represented “a moving target” and cautioned that more infections were likely. “There is a significant lag time between exposure to contaminated produce or contaminated materials and development of symptoms,” Bagdasarian said.
The parasite spreads when people consume raw produce or water contaminated with human feces containing the Cyclospora organism. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh fruits and vegetables; a 2022 surge in Florida sickened hundreds of people after contaminated lettuce in packaged salad kits was identified as the source, according to the Guardian.
On Friday, the CDC said there were more than 400 cases across 18 states and that it was working with the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the clusters. The agency noted in a bulletin that “the true number of people sick with cyclosporiasis was likely higher than the number reported” because many victims recover without seeking medical care or testing.
In Ohio, the state’s health department reported 177 cases as of July 2, with 171 of those reported since June 20.
Although cyclosporiasis is rarely life-threatening — no deaths have been reported from the current outbreak — the intestinal illness can have severe effects. Symptoms include cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, low-grade fever and vomiting. The CDC said “watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements” is the most commonly reported symptom.
The average time from ingestion to symptoms appearing is about one week, health officials said, but can range from two days to about two weeks. The illness is not usually transmitted from person to person, the CDC said.
While officials work to establish whether there is any link between the clusters, which have emerged most visibly in southeastern Michigan, there is no suggestion of a connection to outbreaks in other states, the CDC said.
Summer months traditionally see a rise in cases, creating a “cyclosporiasis season” from May 1 to August 31, according to the CDC. Health officials recommend cooking fresh produce where possible to reduce the risk of illness, or thoroughly washing it in clean, running water.