Over 150 cases of cyclosporiasis have been confirmed in Florida since May 1, according to the Florida Department of Health’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report, with Miami-Dade County reporting the highest number of cases.
Florida has 154 confirmed cases of the illness — characterized by severe gastrointestinal symptoms — according to data from the FDOH, which spans the time period from May 1 to July 18. Miami-Dade County had 32 confirmed cases, the most of any county in the state. Lee County was a close second, reporting 16 cases.
In a July 20 update, the CDC said that 4,173 cases have been laboratory-confirmed across the U.S. “More than 7,400 additional cases” have been reported, mostly in Michigan and Ohio, but they have not yet been officially confirmed. In a July 20 social media post, the FDA said that the “overwhelming epidemiological data” pointed to Taylor Farms as the source.
Cyclospora was one of several parasites removed from a mandatory reporting list last summer under the Trump Administration.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis
Cyclosporiasis, caused by the microscopic Cyclospora parasite, can be contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water. It is not usually spread from person to person, according to the CDC.
Symptoms, the most common of which include frequent watery diarrhea, weight loss, appetite loss, nausea, fatigue and bloating, usually begin around one week after someone is exposed, though onset can occur two to 14 days after being exposed, according to the CDC. “Less common symptoms” include low-grade fevers and vomiting.
If untreated, symptoms of the disease can “follow a remitting-relapsing course,” lasting from a “few days to a month or longer.” Though illness can be “severe,” it’s not usually life-threatening, says the CDC.
Number of confirmed cyclosporiasis cases in Florida, broken down by county
Alachua
3
Brevard
3
Broward
13
Collier
2
Columbia
1
Duval
3
Escambia
1
Flagler
2
Gadsden
1
Hernando
1
Highlands
2
Hillsborough
4
Lake
4
Lee
16
Leon
1
Manatee
2
Marion
2
Martin
1
Miami-Dade
32
Monroe
1
Okaloosa
3
Orange
6
Osceola
6
Palm Beach
6
Pasco
3
Pinellas
6
Polk
6
Santa Rosa
2
Sarasota
2
Seminole
5
St. Johns
3
St. Lucie
2
Sumter
2
Volusia
5
Wakulla
1
Walton
1
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami-Dade County leads Florida in cyclosporiasis cases. How many