Cyclosporiasis outbreak: CDC tracking cases in 31 states, including Florida
FORECAST ALL COMING YOUR WAY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, LADIES, SINCE YOUR HEALTH STORY, BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. IT’S THE IT’S THE DUST THAT’S MAKING. IT’S ALREADY HERE. YES. OKAY. WELL, SPEAKING OF HEALTH ISSUES, IT IS A NASTY STOMACH BUG THAT JUST WON’T SEEM TO GO AWAY. AND IT COMMONLY CAUSES SEVERE DIARRHEA. THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION IS INVESTIGATING OUTBREAKS OF CYCLOSPORIASIS. CYCLOSPORIASIS IN SEVERAL STATES, INCLUDING A COUPLE OF CASES HERE IN FLORIDA. JADE JARVIS SPOKE WITH AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM GETTING INFECTED. THE GOOD NEWS IS CYCLOSPORIASIS IS USUALLY NOT LIFE THREATENING, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY UNPLEASANT AND UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE INFECTED. YOU’VE PROBABLY SEEN THE HEADLINES TALKING ABOUT A PARASITIC INFECTION CAUSING EXPLOSIVE DIARRHEA IN PATIENTS. CYCLOSPORIASIS IS A PARASITIC INFECTION THAT AFFECTS THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND LEADS TO DIARRHEAL ILLNESS. IT IS USUALLY TRANSMITTED BY EATING FOOD OR DRINKING WATER THAT’S BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH FECES OF ANIMALS OR HUMANS. 18 STATES, INCLUDING FLORIDA, HAVE REPORTED CASES OF THE STOMACH BUG OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, BUT THE HARDEST HIT IS MICHIGAN, WHICH HAS REPORTED MORE THAN 700 CASES SINCE THE END OF JUNE, MORE THAN 14 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE ANNUAL AVERAGE FOR THE STATE. SO FAR, NO COMMON SOURCE OF THE BUG HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. MOST OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO EATING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT ARE CONTAMINATED WITH THE PARASITE, AND FOLKS NOT HAVING THE PRACTICE OF WASHING THESE FOODS, THESE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS, WHEN THEY GET THEM FROM THE SUPERMARKET AND EATING IT STRAIGHT AWAY, AND THEREFORE GETTING THE INFECTION. CLEBER DE ALMEIDA IS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST WITH PALM BEACH HEALTH NETWORK. HE SAYS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR FAMILIES NOW IS TO PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE AND THOROUGHLY WASH THEIR PRODUCE WITH A DILUTED BLEACH OR VINEGAR MIXTURE. FOLKS SHOULD USE ONE TEASPOON OF BLEACH PER GALLON OF WATER TO CREATE A WATER THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH TO WASH THEIR VEGETABLES AND FRUITS AND SALAD PRODUCTS BEFORE EATING THEM. AND IF YOU START TO FEEL SICK, IT’S BEST TO ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION FOR FOLKS WHO DEVELOP DIARRHEA, SUDDEN DIARRHEA RIGHT NOW, THEY SHOULD SEEK MEDICAL HELP. THEIR DOCTOR MOST LIKELY HAVE HEARD ABOUT CYCLOSPORIASIS AND THIS CURRENT OUTBREAK, AND WILL SEND THE APPROPRIATE TESTS AND GIVE PEOPLE THE APPROPRIATE MEDICATIONS TO TREAT CYCLOSPORIASIS IN CASE IT IS IDENTIFIED. AFTER, DE ALMEIDA SAYS. YOU CAN ALSO WASH YOUR PRODUCE WITH A VINEGAR AND WATER RINSE. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO USE BLEACH OR HAVE
Cyclosporiasis outbreak: CDC tracking cases in 31 states, including Florida
Updated: 3:20 PM EDT Jul 13, 2026
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in 31 states, including cases in Florida.Video above: Infectious disease expert weighs in on parasite causing ‘explosive diarrhea’ According to data from the CDC, 843 cases have been reported in the United States since May 1, with 86 hospitalizations. Eleven to 30 people have been reported sick in Florida. “Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract and leads to diarrheal illness. It is usually transmitted by eating food or drinking water that’s been contaminated with feces of animals or humans,” said Dr. Kleper De Almeida, an infectious diseases and internal medicine specialist with Palm Beach Health Network. W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vaGVhcnN0dGVsZXZpc2lvbmRhdGFqb3VybmFsaXNtLmh0dmFwcHMuY29tL2N5Y2xvc3BvcmEvdjEvY3ljbG9zcG9yYS5odG1sIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAwcHgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBzY3JvbGxpbmc9InllcyJdWy9pZnJhbWVdDe Almeida said the best course of action for families now is to practice good hygiene.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. —
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in 31 states, including cases in Florida.
Video above: Infectious disease expert weighs in on parasite causing ‘explosive diarrhea’
According to data from the CDC, 843 cases have been reported in the United States since May 1, with 86 hospitalizations.
Eleven to 30 people have been reported sick in Florida.
“Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract and leads to diarrheal illness. It is usually transmitted by eating food or drinking water that’s been contaminated with feces of animals or humans,” said Dr. Kleper De Almeida, an infectious diseases and internal medicine specialist with Palm Beach Health Network.
De Almeida said the best course of action for families now is to practice good hygiene.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News