Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. It primarily affects humans, causing prolonged watery diarrhea, and is most often linked to consuming contaminated fresh produce or water. While found globally, outbreaks have been common in developed countries due to imported produce.
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The parasite *Cyclospora cayetanensis* was first observed in stools in 1979 but was recognized as a significant human pathogen in the early 1990s. Its historical significance grew due to large foodborne and waterborne outbreaks, particularly in North America, often linked to contaminated fresh produce. This led to increased public health awareness and research into its epidemiology.
Cyclosporiasis is transmitted through the fecal-oral route, primarily by ingesting food or water contaminated with mature *Cyclospora cayetanensis* oocysts. Direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely because the oocysts passed in stool are not immediately infectious; they require days to weeks to sporulate (mature) in the environment. Outbreaks are frequently associated with contaminated fresh produce such as raspberries, basil, or leafy greens.
Contagious Period: Varies by disease
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The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to classify recalled iceberg lettuce linked to a nationwide cyclospora outbreak as a Class I recall, its most serious category, may leave many consumers wondering whether lettuce is still safe to put on the dinner table.
The classification, announced Thursday, applies to products recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico after federal investigators linked shredded iceberg lettuce to a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis. The FDA defines a Class I reca
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The state's outbreak of the gastrointestinal illness is waning, as case numbers stayed steady across the state and in local counties this week.
In Ohio, cases of the parasitic intestinal illness rose by only two, from a revised case number of 5,872 last week to 5,874 this week, state health officials said Friday.
Cuyahoga County recorded 763 cyclosporiasis cases this week, the second-highest number in the state and the same as last week's revised case number.
Lucas County in
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Confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection known for causing explosive diarrhea, have surpassed 17,000 as federal health officials continue to investigate a series of outbreaks larger than any previously seen in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its weekly update Aug. 24 that 17,180 infections with cyclospora, the parasite that causes the illness, have been confirmed across 48 states plus Washington, DC, since May 1 -- an uptick of 1,464 sinc
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The state has now reported 315 cyclospora cases this year. The 2026 case count is now higher than at this time in recent years
Texas has reported more than 100 additional cyclosporiasis cases in the past week, according to state health authorities, for a total count of 315 reported cases so far this year.
A spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, Douglas Loveday, provided the updated case count on Tuesday afternoon. Among the Texas cases, according to Loveday, there have
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(NEXSTAR) - More cases have been linked to outbreaks of cyclospora that do not have an identified source, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce, meanwhile, has expanded to two additional states.
There have been nearly 14,000 cases of domestically acquired cyclospora confirmed in the U.S. since May this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. That's well over the roughly 1,180 cases reported from May through August last year.
O
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The company said it was unaware of any reported illnesses linked to its products containing jalapeños, which were distributed to major retailers across 26 states.
Taylor Farms, which has been linked to a large outbreak of cyclosporiasis associated with iceberg lettuce in the United States, said on Sunday that it was voluntarily recalling several of its products made with fresh jalapeños that have been tied to a multistate salmonella outbreak.
The recalled products include spicy guacamole, man
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Outbreaks of severe foodborne illnesses, causing symptoms including "explosive diarrhea," have soared across the country this summer.
With health officials working to address continually growing outbreaks of the parasitic illness cyclosporiasis, Trump administration health officials have insisted that the U.S. food supply remains safe and that fresh produce is safe for consumers.
But the Food and Drug Administration is simultaneously responding to tens of thousands of cyclosporiasis cases, whic
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This summer has been particularly tough for foodborne illnesses, with reports of explosive diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, hospitalizations, and even deaths.
Not all reported outbreaks have reached Florida, but as federal agencies investigate cases of salmonella, E. coli and cyclosporiasis, some foods are worth avoiding for now.
Here are the ones Floridians should know about.
Iceberg lettuce
A large multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis has been tied to iceberg lettuce sold at restaurants su
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California is reporting more cases of cyclosporiasis than it would on average for this point in the summer, including two recent cases where residents ate at out-of-state Taco Bell restaurants, according to state health officials and data.
Despite the uptick, officials say California is not included in the cyclosporiasis outbreak that's hit 15 states, sickening tens of thousands of people with prolonged bouts of diarrhea.
Howev
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An infectious disease expert has issued advice to travellers following an outbreak of an 'explosive diarrhoea' infection in the US and Mexico. It comes as health officials in Michigan in the US have confirmed the first two deaths linked to cyclospora, which is a parasite that causes severe diarrhoea that is spread through contaminated food or water.
The outbreak has now spread to 45 US states, with nearly 7,000 cases reported, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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View WHO Resources →Disease information on Virus Watcher is reviewed by our Chief Epidemiologist, a former CDC lead analyst for FluSight forecasting. Outbreak data is aggregated from verified sources including BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-01
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