A tiny parasite wreaking havoc in the U.S. this summer is responsible for more than 60 cases of gastrointestinal illness in Florida.
Read more Mikel Merino stars again as Spain edges Belgium 2-1 in the World Cup quarterfinals
On Friday, Florida health officials met with hospital and healthcare workers in South Florida to update them about the spread of cyclospora, which can potentially cause “explosive” diarrhea. Because this gastrointestinal illness is in a spore, it’s harder to get rid of, and painful cramps and other symptoms can last weeks. Some symptoms, such as diarrhea, may go away and then return.
People become infected with cycloporiasis by consuming food or water contaminated with the microscopic parasite — the infection is not transmitted from person to person.
Health officials reminded providers Friday that patients can be tested using a stool sample and that antibiotic treatment is available.
Five cases of cyclosporiasis were reported in Broward County in 2026, nine in Miami-Dade, and two in Palm Beach County. Four cases have been reported in Orange County. Lee County, where Fort Myers is located, had 11 cases, the most reported in a Florida county. As many as 34 people reported their cases of cyclosporiasis were acquired in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health’s disease tracker, which provides data as of July 4.
Health officials are still working to learn what has caused more than a thousand people nationwide to fall ill with this condition that can cause explosive diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, and low-grade fever.
Some states have been more affected than others. Florida has fewer cases than states like New York and North Carolina, which have more than 100 cases. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has received 1,562 reports since June 22. Health officials in the state say 44 people have been hospitalized.
“If you have diarrhea after eating and it’s not going away, it’s definitely a good thing to call your doctor,” said Rachel Guran, director of epidemiology and infection prevention at Memorial Healthcare System.
Guran said the incubation period is two to 14 days, with seven days being the average.
“It’s not one of those fast-onset gastrointestinal illnesses like some other bacteria that we find from food-borne illnesses. It makes it harder to track down where the outbreak is coming from, when you have so much time between when you might have eaten a contaminated food and then when you get sick,” Guran said.
In the past, cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been linked to various types of fresh produce. So far, there isn’t a common source linking all cases this summer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
Read more Lionel Messi and Argentina play upstart Switzerland in World Cup quarterfinals at Arrowhead Stadium
“Any time you have any produce that is not cooked, there’s a potential,” said Keith R. Schneider, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida. The parasite infects people when they consume food or water contaminated with human feces containing the oocysts (or eggs) of the parasite, he explained, adding that untreated water, such as that in a lake or river, also could be a source of contamination when ingested or used to irrigate crops.
Cyclosporiasis infections are most common when temperatures are warmer, however, four times as many cases have been reported this summer compared to last, according to the CDC.
Schneider said there may be multiple outbreaks occurring at the same time.
“Right now, we’re still waiting for either the FDA or CDC, the folks who are investigating, to do the epidemiology and to make recommendations,” he said.
Several years ago an outbreak was associated with raw cabbage, Schneider noted. He said washing produce can reduce the amount of the microparasite on the surface of raw foods, but it’s never going to remove them 100%. He recommends cooking all produce.
Cyclospora infections rarely lead to hospitalizations and are not typically life-threatening.
“The extremely young, the very old, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are most at risk, especially the elderly who are susceptible to dehydration,” Schneider said.
Cyclospora infections do not respond to typical over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications.
Dr. Anil Sharma, an associate professor in the division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition at the University of Florida College of Medicine, said the antibiotic most effective against cyclosporiasis is Bactrim DS. He urged anyone with gastrointestinal symptoms to see a doctor. “Unless you get a stool test, specifically a GI pathogen panel, and it comes back positive, a doctor will not know how to treat it. Without the test, it could be viewed as bacterial or viral diarrhea.”
And if someone in your home has symptoms, take extra precautions, Sharma said. “You need to wash your fresh produce and wash your hands carefully when around someone with cyclosporiasis. Even if you’re in a part of the country not nearly as affected, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautions.”
South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at [email protected].
Read more Sabatini scolded by court for use of AI, resulting in ‘substandard’ work