The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to identify the source of a parasitic illness that has sickened at least 145 people across 17 states, with approximately 20 hospitalizations reported as of early July.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite that infects the intestines. According to the CDC, symptoms include severe watery diarrhea described as producing "frequent, sometimes explosive bowel movements," along with cramps, nausea, fatigue and vomiting. Without antibiotic treatment, symptoms can persist from several days to more than a month and may recur multiple times.
Public health investigators are examining clusters of cases reported in New York, Illinois and Texas. New York has been the hardest-hit state, with between 31 and 80 confirmed illnesses, according to reporting by Nexstar's WPIX. Additional states reporting cases include Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The CDC reports that infected individuals range in age from 5 to 86 years old, with an average age of 42. Of the 145 confirmed cases nationwide, only 45 patients reported traveling outside the United States before becoming ill, leading investigators to believe the outbreak is foodborne rather than travel-related. The specific contaminated product has not yet been identified.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative critics have questioned whether CDC's public communications about ongoing investigations appropriately balance transparency with avoiding unnecessary alarm. Commentary in The Wall Street Journal argued that describing diarrhea as "explosive" in official agency language may disproportionately frighten Americans when most cases resolve without serious complications.
Some Republican legislators have used the outbreak to renew calls for regulatory reform affecting agricultural producers and food distributors. Representative Dusty Johnson of South Dakota said in a statement that "unfair blame placed on entire food categories before investigations conclude can devastate farmers and ranchers who follow all safety protocols."
Industry groups representing grocery retailers and restaurants have emphasized their member companies' cooperation with CDC investigations while cautioning against premature assumptions about specific product categories. The Food Marketing Institute noted that retailers rely on FDA's existing food safety frameworks and called for any new regulatory requirements to be "science-based and proportionate to demonstrated risks."
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic public health advocates have called for robust federal investment in food safety infrastructure following the outbreak announcement. Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, a longtime advocate for stronger Food and Drug Administration oversight, said the recurring nature of foodborne parasitic outbreaks "demonstrates persistent gaps in our nation's produce inspection system."
Progressive health policy groups argue that budget constraints on CDC surveillance programs have limited early detection capabilities. The Center for American Progress noted in a recent analysis that CDC's foodborne illness tracking systems operate with outdated technology and insufficient state-level staffing to rapidly identify multi-state outbreaks before they spread widely.
Advocates for stronger regulations point to the difficulty public health officials face in tracing contaminated products to their source. Without mandatory federal produce traceability requirements, investigators often cannot quickly determine which farms, distributors or retailers may be linked to illness clusters until hundreds of people have already been infected.
What the Numbers Show
The current outbreak represents a notable increase compared to recent years. CDC surveillance data shows an average of approximately 130 cyclosporiasis cases reported annually in the United States over the past five years, with most linked to international travel or imported produce traced to specific countries. The 145 confirmed domestic cases without travel history in this outbreak exceed what would typically be expected from entirely travel-related transmission.
Of the 20 hospitalizations reported, CDC spokesperson Justin Wilson said no deaths have been attributed to the current outbreak as of early July. Hospitalization rates for cyclosporiasis typically range from 5% to 15% of confirmed cases, making the approximately 14% hospitalization rate in this outbreak consistent with historical patterns for the parasite.
The age distribution, with infections spanning ages 5 through 86 and a median of 42, aligns with typical foodborne illness demographics where children and elderly individuals face higher risks of severe symptoms requiring medical care. States reporting cases span every region of the country, from Alaska in the West to Florida in the Southeast.
The Bottom Line
CDC investigators continue working to identify the contaminated food product responsible for the outbreak. Past cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been traced to imported fresh produce including basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce and raspberries, though no specific source has been confirmed in this investigation.
Public health officials advise standard food safety practices including washing produce thoroughly, storing items at appropriate temperatures and ensuring meats are cooked to recommended internal temperatures. Individuals experiencing severe or prolonged diarrhea should consult healthcare providers, particularly if symptoms persist beyond several days or are accompanied by significant dehydration.
The investigation may take weeks or months before a definitive source is identified. CDC will continue updating case counts as state health departments report confirmed infections through the agency's surveillance network.