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Cyclospora Outbreak in Michigan Nears 1,000 Cases

Investigators are using patient interviews, traceback work and genomic testing to search for a contaminated produce source as testing delays and lab staffing strain the response.

Overview

  • Michigan has seen a rapid surge that reached about 992 reported cases on Wednesday, July 8, with roughly 36 hospitalizations tied to the cluster concentrated in southeastern counties.
  • Federal and state surveillance show related increases in roughly 17–18 states, but health agencies say there is no confirmed single, multistate source linking all clusters.
  • Officials are pursuing a produce-focused investigation using detailed food-exposure interviews, supply-chain tracebacks and specialized genomic comparisons, yet no specific product, grower or supplier has been identified.
  • Laboratories and public health teams report stretched capacity and longer test turnaround times, which likely mean official counts understate the true number of illnesses and slow source confirmation.
  • Doctors advise that cyclosporiasis causes prolonged watery diarrhea, requires specific stool testing to diagnose, is treated with a 10-day course of trimethoprim‑sulfamethoxazole, and that cooking produce is the only sure way to kill the parasite while thorough washing may reduce risk.