Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Response Possibly Impeded by Deprioritization and CDC Staff Cuts

    

      I worked at a county health department as a sanitarian-in-training, now known as an environmental health specialist-in-training, and learned a little about foodborne illnesses. I learned about parasitic diseases, but I did not learn about cyclosporiasis at all, aside from a brief mention, nor was it covered in the two large, though perhaps outdated, textbooks I had purchased.  

     The current outbreak of cyclosporiasis, centered in the U.S. Midwest but affecting 31 states, is currently being investigated. The disease is caused by a protozoan parasite: Cyclospora cayetanensis.

     Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal disease that causes “explosive diarrhea,” abdominal cramping, and possibly severe dehydration. It usually lasts 2-10 days, but in severe cases, it could last much longer.

     Michigan has the most cases and seems to be the latest epicenter of the outbreak, and nearby Ohio is gaining cases. 

     The CDC noted in a press release last Friday:

“CDC is aware that states are likely to report higher case counts of cyclosporiasis than reflected in CDC data and is working closely with states to update numbers as additional cases are confirmed.”

     Indeed, states are reporting more than double the cases officially reported by the CDC.

     CNN reports:

“The good news is that cyclosporiasis doesn’t pass directly from person to person. You get it by eating or drinking something that’s been contaminated several weeks prior, usually fresh produce or water from a swimming pool.”

     In the past, cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been linked to salad greens, raspberries, basil, cilantro, green onions, and snow peas. Incidentally, I grow and harvest most of those during the season when disease is prevalent, so I am lucky to have less potential exposure. Cut, washed, and packaged lettuce and salad greens are being investigated as a potential cause of the current outbreak, but the official cause has yet to be determined. However, and this is not confirmed, some have already suggested that they know the company and the product causing the outbreak. Again, this is not confirmed, but I saw the following on a social media post:

“It's going to take a minute for the government to pin down where this is coming from, and then issue a recall, because the FDA has been gutted. But, I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt: this is coming from Taylor Farms produce, and you will see them recalled.”

“It's the shredded lettuce, specifically, that's the problem.  But, you'll want to stay away from every type of produce this company puts out, because one strand of shredded lettuce is all it takes to contaminate bushels.”

“Taylor Farms is the source. Taco Bell proactively pulled their produce from their restaurants.  You're going to see other fast food places doing this, and probably will see that before the government names a source.  The FDA knows this, but they can't come out and tell us all until there's proof, which takes resources and research, which takes manpower, but the FDA has been cut by about 20-30%.”

“During the Biden term, onions at McDonald's had ecoli.  We knew this because DNA testing was done quickly and they were able to narrow it down to one place that caused the outbreak. And, it was traced back to Taylor Farms.  This isn't going to be solved as quickly though.”

“Treatment is seven to 10 days of the combination antibiotic sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, which is sold as Bactrim or Septra.”

“The recommendation is to treat people who have cyclosporiasis because it can last so long and it’s just uncomfortable,” Schein said. “And it can increase, you know, spread into the environment if we don’t treat it.”

     I will only comment that the person sounds quite confident.

     According to a CNN report yesterday, tracking the illness has been less robust than tracking foodborne illnesses before the CDC staff cuts:

“In 2025, in the wake of staff and funding cuts to public health agencies, the CDC scaled back one of its surveillance systems for foodborne illness. The FoodNet system is a partnership between the CDC, US Department of Agriculture, US Food and Drug Administration and 10 state health departments which proactively looks for cases of foodborne illness by contacting labs directly for test results rather than waiting for them to be reported.”

“Before July 1, 2025, FoodNet collected data on eight pathogens, including cyclospora. The network now only collects information on two pathogens, salmonella and an especially dangerous kind of E. coli bacteria. The rest are optional.”

“Cyclosporiasis remains a nationally notifiable disease, which means confirmed cases are reported to state health departments and eventually the CDC.”

“But the cuts mean US surveillance isn’t as robust as it once was for this pathogen.”

“I don’t think it’s in our country’s interest to cut these programs back,” former CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield told CNN on Monday. “Surveillance is sort of the key to early identification.”

     Cyclosporiasis cases typically rise in the summer months, and the season lasts roughly from May to August. Some foodborne pathogens, like E. coli and Salmonella bacteria, can be DNA-sequenced to match a strain that’s making people sick with a strain that’s contaminating food or water. That is more difficult to do for Cyclospora. Thus, it is harder to track and takes longer to confirm a source. People become infected by eating or drinking something several weeks before the infection shows symptoms, though it usually appears within two weeks. It does not pass from person to person. The number of cases is likely an undercount. Cases are thought to have doubled from last year’s 2700 total cases to over 5000 cases confirmed so far this year, likely with more to come.  

 

 

References:

 

An outbreak of diarrhea caused by a parasite has hit thousands of people. Here’s how to stay safe. Brenda Goodman. CNN. July 14, 2026. An outbreak of diarrhea caused by a parasite has hit thousands of people. Here’s how to stay safe

Cyclospora, the ‘Explosive Diarrhea’ Parasite, Cases Reported in at Least 31 States: See the Map. Caroline Kee. Updated July 14, 2026. Cyclospora Map: See US States With the Most Diarrhea Parasite Cases

Surveillance of Cyclosporiasis. For Public Health. Center for Disease Control. July 10, 2026. Surveillance of Cyclosporiasis | Cyclosporiasis | CDC

Michigan says diarrhea outbreak may be linked to lettuce, salad greens as cases rise above 3,000. Brenda Goodman. CNN. July 13, 2026. Diarrhea outbreak may be linked to lettuce, Michigan officials say | CNN