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5d ago

CDC Confirms Multistate Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Centered in Michigan

Investigators are tracing leafy greens as a possible vehicle as lab backlogs and the parasite’s long incubation slow efforts to pinpoint a single source.

Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts shown through a microscope.
Image
At left, oocysts of C. cayetanensis stained with modified acid-fast stain; at right, oocyst of C. cayetanensis in an unstained wet mount of stool. Image taken at 1000x magnification.

Overview

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that it has 1,645 lab‑confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is reviewing more than 5,100 additional reports.
  • Michigan officials report the largest cluster, with more than 3,700 cases, and have flagged lettuce or salad greens as a potential source while stressing no grower or supplier has been definitively identified.
  • Public‑health teams are using interviews, supply‑chain tracebacks and targeted testing to hunt for links but face delays because Cyclospora symptoms can show up 2–14 days after exposure and require specialized stool tests.
  • Some restaurants have voluntarily removed fresh toppings such as lettuce and cilantro as a precaution and experts are urging consumers to wash produce carefully or cook high‑risk items to reduce infection risk.
  • Health officials say most people recover with treatment and that the outbreak is likely undercounted because testing is not routine, surveillance has limits, and cases typically peak in summer so numbers may keep rising.