Where Does Cyclospora Parasite Come From? How to Protect Yourself
Newsweek · C · trust 39/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Cyclospora infections are being reported across the United States, prompting renewed questions about where the parasite comes from, how it spreads through the food supply, and what consumers can do to protect themselves.
The outbreak has sickened thousands of people nationwide and has prompted investigations by state health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While investigators have not yet identified a single source responsible for all of the illnesses, experts say the parasite is typically linked to contaminated fresh produce and water.
On Tuesday, the CDC announced that it has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and "is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis to confirm the illness as domestically acquired cyclosporiasis."
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic parasite that causes cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness best known for triggering severe watery diarrhea that can sometimes be described as "explosive." According to the CDC, symptoms usually begin about one week after a person consumes contaminated food or water, although the incubation period can range from two days to two weeks. Other symptoms can include stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.
Unlike many common causes of food poisoning, Cyclospora has an unusual life cycle. The parasite infects the small intestine and can cause symptoms that persist for weeks or even months if left untreated. Symptoms may improve and then return, a pattern that often distinguishes cyclospora infections from more typical stomach bugs.
Health officials say the parasite is difficult to detect because many routine laboratory tests do not automatically screen for it. Patients with persistent diarrhea may need specialized testing to confirm a diagnosis.
Cyclospora is a parasite carried in human feces and spread through food or water contaminated with infected stool. According to the FDA, humans are the only known host of Cyclospora cayetanensis .
"The truth is that protection from cyclosporiasis is not primarily a consumer behavior. It is a food safety and inspection function," Dr. Tyler Evans, founder and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, told Newsweek . "It happens upstream, at the farm, in the water used for irrigation and washing, in the sanitation available to the people who harvest the crop, and in the inspection and traceback systems that catch contaminated lots before they reach a grocery shelf. When those systems work, individuals never have to think about this. When they are underfunded, we start writing articles telling people to wash their lettuce more carefully, which is not a plan. It is a substitute for one.”
The parasite is particularly challenging from a food-safety perspective because it does not typically spread directly from person to person. Instead, Cyclospora must spend at least one to two weeks in the environment before it becomes infectious. That means contamination usually occurs before food reaches consumers, often through irrigation water, wash water or poor sanitation practices during harvesting and processing.
Experts say fresh produce is especially vulnerable because many fruits and vegetables are eaten raw. Previous U.S. outbreaks have been linked to foods including cilantro, basil, raspberries, mesclun lettuce, bagged salad mixes, snow peas and green onions.
Federal and state officials are currently investigating multiple clusters of Cyclospora infections across the country. On Tuesday, the CDC announced that it had received reports of more than 1,600 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and "is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis to confirm the illness as domestically acquired cyclosporiasis."
Michigan has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, reporting an unusually large spike in cases compared with a typical year, with elevated cases also occurring in Ohio, New York, and other states. Investigators are examining whether some of the outbreaks may share a common food source, though no nationwide source has been confirmed.
Experts say outbreaks linked to cyclospora can be notoriously difficult to solve because the time between exposure and illness can be relatively long. By the time patients become sick, they may struggle to remember exactly what they ate one or two weeks earlier. Produce from multiple farms may also become mixed together before reaching grocery stores, complicating traceback efforts.
Early findings from some investigations have pointed toward leafy greens as a possible source in certain areas, but officials caution that investigations remain ongoing.
Related Story Taco Bell Breaks Silence on Cyclospora Outbreaks Related Story How Long Does Cyclospora Incubate? Symptoms to Watch For, How to Treat It Related Story People Told To Cook Food, Make Pies To Avoid ‘Explosive’ Diarrhea Outbreak How Do You Protect Yourself from Cyclospora? The CDC advises consumers to thoroughly wash fresh produce under running water and practice good hand hygiene when handling food. However, experts stress that washing alone cannot fully eliminate cyclospora.
" Washing your produce reduces the load and it is worth doing," Evans said. "But Cyclospora rides in a tough, sticky shell that clings to the crevices of leafy greens and the fine hairs of berries, and CDC is explicit that routine chemical disinfection and sanitizing will not kill it. "
He added that vinegar soaks and commercial produce washes are not reliable solutions either.
"Washing lowers your risk but it does not eliminate it. Heat does," he said. "Cooking to an internal temperature of 158 degrees is the only reliable kill step, which is why essentially every documented…
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