Infections from the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora are surging, with 2026 already the nation’s worst year for reported cases, according to the Associated Press.
While cyclospora is not a reportable illness in Pennsylvania, the Erie County Department of Health says local data indicates that the infection has reached Erie County, with leafy greens and lettuce considered the most likely source.
Health officials say they began noticing an increase in gastrointestinal symptoms through an online reporting system that tracks trends seen by local hospitals.
“We get reports through an online system that tell us when there’s a certain threshold of certain types of symptoms that hospitals are seeing, and there’s definitely been an increase in diarrhea symptoms reported at the hospitals,” said Erin Mrenak, director of the Erie County Department of Health.
AHN Saint Vincent Hospital officials also report seeing an increased number of patients arriving with diarrhea symptoms. Hospital officials say they are not currently testing patients specifically for cyclospora, but immunocompromised patients are being referred to infectious disease specialists for treatment. For most patients, care remains primarily supportive at this time.
Because reporting cyclospora cases is voluntary in the state, doctors and other health officials say it is difficult to determine exactly how widespread the outbreak may be in the Commonwealth.
“Many people who become sick with a cyclospora infection may get better on their own without treatment, so there may be people who are sick with the infection but don’t present to a doctor,” said Dr. Graham Snyder, medical director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology at UPMC.
Health experts say most people recover without medical care, but anyone experiencing severe or uncontrollable diarrhea or signs of dehydration should seek treatment from a doctor or hospital.
Doctors say the antibiotic combination medication Bactrim is considered the first-line treatment for cyclospora infections.
“This antibiotic is a first-line antibiotic and it’s successful at treating the infection,” Dr. Snyder said. “The reason to get treatment would be to shorten the duration that you have symptoms. Treatment may also be important for people who have a weakened immune system or who are vulnerable to complications.”
Until investigators can identify the exact source of the outbreak, health officials say consumers do not need to avoid healthy foods such as lettuce. Instead, they recommend purchasing locally grown produce, and whole heads of lettuce, removing the outer leaves, and thoroughly washing the inner lettuce leaves before eating it.
Experts acknowledge that washing fruits and vegetables cannot completely eliminate the parasite, but they say it can reduce the risk of exposure. Good hygiene practices also remain important.
“It’s not going to spread through your house like a stomach virus, but it could potentially be spread if someone was preparing food and not using good hand hygiene,” said Lauren Mathis, an epidemiology research associate with the Erie County Department of Health.
Mrenak said the department is encouraging health care providers to report cases voluntarily, if they have a positive test – to put it into the system and she said, “We will absolutely do our investigative process to help contribute to the data they’re collecting to see if we can figure out where the source of this came from.”
She added, “We’re also going to be sending out a health alert to local health providers so that they’re aware of the resources that are out there – if they have questions they can call us and we’ll help facilitate however we can.
In the meantime, there are several steps consumers can can take to reduce their risk of cyclospora infection while investigators work to identify the source of the outbreak.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, consumers should wash raw fruits and vegetables vigorously under clean, running water and refrigerate cut or peeled produce immediately. Experts note that cooking produce is the only guaranteed way to destroy the cyclospora parasite.
Officials also recommend staying informed by monitoring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cyclosporiasis information page for updates on outbreaks and any related recall notices.