Cyclospora Outbreak: What to Know about Symptoms, Spread, and Reducing Your Risk
An outbreak of Cyclospora, a parasite that causes intestinal illness, has been reported in at least 34 states.
How serious is the outbreak and how can you protect yourself? Nuwan Gunawardhana, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Columbia, explains what cyclosporiasis is and how to reduce your risk of getting sick.
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic infection of the intestinal tract. The infection is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with feces containing Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite typically found in tropical and sub-tropical areas.
What are the symptoms of cyclosporiasis?
Typical symptoms include:
“People who become infected by Cyclospora can experience these symptoms for several weeks,” says Dr. Gunawardhana. “If you have these symptoms, you should see a health care provider who can test you and treat you with antibiotics.”
How is Cyclospora spread?
The parasite is spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. It is not spread from person to person.
The incubation period can be as soon as two days after consuming contaminated food or water or over two weeks, making it difficult to determine the source.
While the source of the current outbreak is unclear, Cyclospora outbreaks in the United States have historically been associated with contaminated fresh produce and pre-packaged salad mixes.
How widespread is this outbreak?
Over 5,100 suspected cases of cyclosporiasis, including more than 140 hospitalizations, have been reported across at least 34 states this summer, with over 3,300 cases in Michigan alone. The outbreak is also surging in New York and Ohio. Typically, about 200 to 1,000 cases are reported each year in the United States.
Are there treatments for cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis can be severe, but it is not usually fatal. If you have symptoms, see your healthcare provider to get tested. If you have the infection, you may be treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic sold as Bactrim, Septra, or Cotrim.
How can I reduce my risk of getting cyclosporiasis?
There is no vaccine to prevent cyclosporiasis, but you can reduce your risk by avoiding bagged salads, as well as other raw produce that have been found to cause previous outbreaks such as basil, cilantro, raspberries, and snow peas.
“Thoroughly washing fresh produce under running water, with friction, and practicing good hand hygiene can help reduce risk,” says Dr. Gunawardhana. “However, the only reliable way to prevent infection is to heat your produce to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit, which effectively kills the parasite.”
Nuwan Gunawardhana, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia, specializing in infectious disease and internal medicine.