As of June 16,145 cases were reported in people who acquired cyclosporiasis in the United States.
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It’s that time of year again when cases of a diarrhea-causing parasite begin to rise, and Texas is among the states reporting the most infections.
On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 145 cyclosporiasis cases in 17 states nationwide between May and June 16. As Chron previously reported, Texas and Illinois were the only states besides New York to report between 10 and 30 cases.
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According to the CDC, case counts rise during the spring and summer months, which is why May through August is considered the “cyclosporiasis season,” though some cases have been detected outside of that range in recent years.
With Texas among the states reporting the most cyclospora cases this year, here’s what to know about the parasite, how it spreads, its symptoms and its historical impact on the state.
Who is at risk of cyclosporiasis?
According to the CDC, “people may be at an increased risk for infection when living or traveling in tropical or subtropical regions of the world where cyclosporiasis” is regularly present.
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But those in other areas can still get infected by contaminated food and water, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
In the CDC’s recent report, those sick are between 5 and 86 years in age, with the average being 42 years old, and 61 percent were females.
How does it spread? How soon can you get sick?
Cyclospora spreads when people eat food or drink water that’s been contaminated with feces.
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But it’s unlikely for it to be passed directly from person-to-person because it can take at least one to two weeks in “the environment” to become infectious.
The time between becoming infected and becoming sick is usually about one week, the CDC says, but can take between two days and two or more weeks.
And yes, people can get sick with cyclospora more than once.
How can you reduce your risk of infection?
Aside from trying to avoid food or drinks potentially contaminated with feces, health officials also recommend following safe food handling practices to avoid getting sick, including handwashing and thoroughly cleaning all fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting or cooking.
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What foods have been linked to the U.S. outbreak?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, previous cyclosporiasis outbreaks in the U.S. have been linked to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas and mesclun lettuce.
It’s not clear how food and water get infected with cyclospora, but rinsing or washing food isn’t likely to remove it.
What are the symptoms?
People typically feel symptoms of cyclosporiasis about one week after eating or drinking food or and drinks, including:
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Watery diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Cramping
Bloating
Increased gas
Nausea
Less common symptoms can include vomiting, body aches, headache, low-grade fever and other flu-like symptoms.
Is there a treatment?
Anyone who thinks they may have cyclosporiasis should see their healthcare provider. It can be treated with antibiotics, but the CDC says most people with healthy immune systems will eventually recover without treatment, though avoiding treatment can prolong sickness.
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Those in poor health or who are immunocompromised may be at a higher risk for severe or long illness, according to the agency.
How many cases have been reported in Texas historically?
Similarly to what the CDC said, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services told Chron that it’s not unusual to have cases at this time of year.
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According to the department’s website, the average number of cyclosporiasis cases in Texas has been 579 cases per year from 2018–2022, ranging from 312 cases in 2021 to 1,039 cases in 2019.