A foodborne illness that usually appears in warmer months is showing up at an unusually high level in Michigan this year. State health officials said more than 300 cases of cyclosporiasis have now been confirmed, far above the roughly 50 cases Michigan typically sees in a full year.
Michigan confirms more than 300 cases
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday that more than 300 cases of cyclosporiasis have been confirmed in the state. According to the department, Michigan usually records about 50 cases per year, making this year’s count several times higher than normal.
State officials said they are working with local and state partners to identify the source of the outbreak. Lynn Sutfin, a public information officer for MDHHS, said the goal is to determine what is making so many people sick as quickly as possible.
Cyclospora is a parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the parasite usually spreads through food or water contaminated with feces.
What the outbreak means in Michigan
The confirmed cases are in Michigan, and the state has not yet identified a single public source tied to all illnesses. Health officials have not released a full breakdown of where each case is located across Michigan.
Doctors said cases of cyclosporiasis often begin rising in May, so the timing of the outbreak is not unusual. What is unusual is the scale, with more than 300 confirmed cases already reported in Michigan this week.
Symptoms can begin about one week after infection, though the CDC said they can appear anywhere from two days to two weeks later. Doctors said the most common symptom is watery diarrhea, and some patients may also have cramping, bloating, low-grade fever, nausea, and vomiting.
Why officials are watching this closely
The CDC said foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to imported fresh produce, including raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce, and cilantro. Doctors also said the U.S. has seen more domestic cases in recent years, not only travel-related or imported-food cases.
MDHHS said some people may have no symptoms, but immunocompromised patients, including people in cancer treatment or organ transplant recipients, may face more severe effects. Health officials also said the infection is very unlikely to spread directly from person to person because the parasite needs time in the environment before it becomes infectious.
Treatment is available, and the CDC said cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 10 days. As the investigation continues, Michigan officials have only confirmed the case count and the ongoing search for the outbreak’s source.
