New York is among the states reporting domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora, as federal health officials investigate several clusters of illness across the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had received reports of 145 domestically acquired cyclosporiasis cases in 17 states among people who became sick from May 1 through June 16. New York was listed among the affected states, with local reporting based on CDC data placing the state in the range of 31 to 80 cases.
The CDC is not calling the situation one single nationwide outbreak. Instead, federal officials say there is no evidence right now linking all cases to one common source, and the current count includes several clusters under investigation as well as cases that have not been tied to a shared food source.
That distinction matters. Cyclospora outbreaks are often difficult to trace because symptoms can begin days after exposure, many people recover without testing, and past outbreaks have frequently involved fresh produce that moves quickly through the food supply. The CDC said the true number of illnesses is likely higher than the reported count because some people recover without medical care and are never tested.
What is Cyclospora?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite that can make people sick after they eat food or drink water contaminated with feces.
The illness is nationally notifiable, and the CDC monitors cases year-round with state, local and federal partners to detect outbreaks linked to a common food source. Case counts typically rise in spring and summer, and the CDC considers cyclosporiasis season to run from May 1 through Aug. 31.
In the United States, cyclosporiasis outbreaks have historically been associated with fresh produce, including items such as cilantro, salad mixes, basil, snow peas and raspberries, according to New York State health guidance summarized in state materials.
The parasite is not known to spread directly from one person to another in the same way many stomach bugs do. The main risk is eating or drinking something contaminated with Cyclospora, which is why health officials focus heavily on foodborne exposure and traceback investigations.
New York cases are part of a larger national investigation
As of the CDC’s July 1 update, the 145 domestically acquired cases involved people who became sick after eating food in the United States and who did not report international travel during the 14 days before symptoms began. The patients ranged in age from 5 to 86, with a median age of 42, and 61% were female.
Twenty people had been hospitalized, and no deaths had been reported in the CDC’s domestic case count. The median illness onset date was May 13, with reported illness onset dates ranging from May 1 through June 6.
Local, state and federal public health agencies, including the CDC and Food and Drug Administration, are investigating multiple clusters in more than one state. The FDA’s active outbreak table also lists two active Cyclospora investigations linked to products that had not yet been identified, with sampling initiated.
For New York, the public health picture is still incomplete. CDC data show the state is among the jurisdictions with cases, but federal officials have not identified a single food item, supplier, restaurant, farm or distributor responsible for all reported illnesses.
The CDC also reported 45 additional cases among people who became sick after eating or drinking contaminated food or water while traveling outside the United States during the 14 days before illness. Those travel-associated cases are counted separately from the 145 domestically acquired cases.
Symptoms can last weeks without treatment
The most common symptom of cyclosporiasis is watery diarrhea, according to the CDC. Other symptoms can include loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue.
Less common symptoms include vomiting, body aches, headache, low-grade fever and other flu-like symptoms. Symptoms usually begin about one week after infection, though the CDC says they can start as soon as two days or as long as two weeks or more after exposure.
Without treatment, symptoms can last from a few days to a month or longer. The CDC says diarrhea may go away and return, and fatigue can continue even after gastrointestinal symptoms stop.
People with symptoms should contact a health care provider, who can test for Cyclospora and determine whether treatment is needed. The CDC says most healthy people will eventually recover without treatment, but the illness may be prolonged.
The CDC identifies trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, sold under names including Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, as the treatment of choice for cyclosporiasis. The agency also says no vaccine is available.
How to reduce risk during peak season
Health officials say the best way to prevent cyclosporiasis is to avoid food or water that may be contaminated with feces, though the CDC notes that no one fully knows how Cyclospora gets into food and water.
The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables. It also recommends washing fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting or cooking, unless the product is labeled prewashed.
Firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, should be scrubbed with a clean produce brush, and damaged or bruised areas should be cut away before preparation or eating. Cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated within two hours.
Those steps can reduce risk, but they do not eliminate it. The CDC says routine chemical disinfection or sanitization of food or water is unlikely to kill Cyclospora, especially when people are traveling in areas where the parasite is regularly found.
For consumers in New York, the practical takeaway is straightforward: there is no specific product to avoid yet, but people should take persistent watery diarrhea seriously, especially if it lasts more than a few days or comes with fatigue, weight loss, cramping or dehydration concerns. The CDC says people with symptoms should see a health care provider, and confirmed cases should be reported to local health departments.
The investigation remains active, and case counts may change as more people are tested and as state and federal agencies continue traceback work. The CDC says current data are preliminary and that investigations to identify potential sources are ongoing.
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