EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A case of the “diarrhea-causing” parasite, cyclospora, has been confirmed in El Paso, according to the City-County Health Authority, Dr. Hector Orcaranza, on Wednesday, July 15.
The City’s Department of Public Health (DPH) has reported that a man in his 60s has been diagnosed with cyclospora. He was not hospitalized. Dr. Orcaranza stated that while the department has not identified the source of the infection, they believe it is not connected to the nationwide outbreak.
Dr. Orcaranza also noted that there are no other cases under investigation at the time of reporting. The community should not be concerned and should take proper precautions such as washing your foods and hands with soap and water.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cyclospora is a parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea with “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.”
The parasite spreads through feces and in the past, people have been infected by consuming fruits or vegetables that were exposed to feces-contaminated irrigation water, according to a report by the Associated Press.
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The illness, cyclosporiasis, is a common foodborne illness caused by other germs, including Salmonella and E. coli.
On Monday, July 13, the City’s Department of Public Health said that there may be one probable case in El Paso.
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“Diagnosis of cyclosporiasis requires healthcare providers to order the appropriate stool test that is not routinely performed. The diarrhea caused by cyclosporiasis often cannot be distinguished from other common gastrointestinal illnesses, such as norovirus or rotavirus.” DPH said.
The worst year for infections of cyclosporiasis was 2019, when about 4,700 illnesses were reported, according to the AP.
Since May 2026, the CDC is aware of 1,645 confirmed cases and over 5,100 probable cases that require further analysis to confirm whether the infections happened in the U.S.
Health officials have not definitely identified the cause of the infections, but Michigan officials believe a large share of their total cases is likely linked to a domestic outbreak. Federal officials said they believe the outbreaks in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia may be linked, according to the AP.
Outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite grows to more than 1,000 cases
Anyone who has similar symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.
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