The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively searching for the source of a parasitic illness, cyclosporiasis, currently spreading in the United States. Reports indicate at least 145 cases across 17 states, with approximately 20 individuals requiring hospitalization due to severe symptoms.
Public health experts are focusing investigations on clusters of cases in New York, Illinois, and Texas. In New York, 31 to 80 individuals have been affected since the start of the outbreak. This information was provided by Nexstar’s WPIX. Other affected states include Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Cyclosporiasis is a type of food poisoning. It is caused by a parasite that enters the body through consumption of contaminated food or water, according to the CDC. Although not typically life-threatening, the illness can cause extreme symptoms such as cramps, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. The most common symptom is watery diarrhea, which can be frequent and intense. Without antibiotic treatment, symptoms may persist for days to over a month, with possible cycles of remission and recurrence.
The age of those infected varies from 5 to 86 years, with the average age being 42. The CDC points out that individuals living in or visiting tropical and subtropical regions face a greater risk of infection, as the parasite is more prevalent in these areas.
In this particular outbreak, only 45 individuals had traveled outside the U.S. prior to falling ill. This suggests that the outbreak is foodborne, although the exact food source remains unidentified.
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