Watch what you eat at the backyard barbecue. A nasty little parasite is currently tearing through the American digestive tract, bringing a wave of explosive diarrhea just in time for the summer heat.
It is called cyclosporiasis. It is a stomach-churning misery caused by a microscopic bug often found clinging to fresh produce. Since May 1, it has sickened hundreds of people across at least 17 states, according to the CDC. Michigan is getting hit the hardest. Their case count has already tripled compared to last year.
Health officials are scrambling. The CDC and FDA are looking for a common culprit, but they have not found a single contaminated food source yet. For now, they are chalking it up to a seasonal surge. It is a waiting game.
The CDC insists there is no evidence linking all these cases to one massive, nationwide outbreak. Instead, the official tally is a mix of localized clusters and random, isolated infections.
So, what exactly is this bug? Cyclospora cayetanensis is a parasite. You swallow it, and your gut pays the price. The hallmark symptom is watery, unpredictable, and violent diarrhea. It is not pretty. Other symptoms include severe bloating, cramps, exhaustion, fever, and vomiting.
As of mid-June, the CDC logged 145 domestic cases. Twenty people ended up in the hospital. Nobody has died yet. The victims range from toddlers to the elderly, with the average age sitting around 42. This is prime time for the bug. Cyclospora season typically runs from May through August.
But those official numbers are lagging. Michigan alone has reported over 170 cases since late June. That is a massive spike from their usual yearly average of about 50. The CDC only updates its national map once a month, so the real footprint is likely much larger. The current hot zone includes Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
How do you catch it? It is simple, and it is gross. The fecal-oral route. That means you are eating food or drinking water contaminated with microscopic traces of infected poop.
Summer is the perfect storm for this. Warm weather brings out the fresh berries, basil, and lettuce. These are the usual suspects. If infected fertilizer or dirty water touches the crop, and you do not wash it, you get sick. It takes about a week for the symptoms to hit.
Healthy adults usually recover on their own, but untreated infections can drag on for months. Doctors treat it with antibiotics. If you have a weak immune system, are elderly, or have young kids, it can be dangerous.
Do not skip the prep work. Wash your hands. Scrub your melons and cucumbers. Keep your cutting boards clean. If you do not, you might spend the rest of your summer glued to the toilet.
