Cyclosporiasis symptoms, treatment and how it’s spread: Everything to know about the intestinal parasitic disease

Multiple states have reported an increase in cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection caused by a parasite.

Health officials in Michigan More than 1,200 cases have been reported in neighboring areas OhioThe cases exceeded 170

Here’s what you need to know about the infection, including how it spreads, how it’s diagnosed, and how it’s treated.

What is cyclosporiasis?

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, also known as… Cyclospora, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Center for Disease Control).

The infection affects the small intestine and can cause watery diarrhea with sometimes “explosive” bowel movements, according to the federal health agency.

last symptoms They can include cramping, bloating, low-grade fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Agency He said as well It takes about one week from the time of infection for symptoms to appear, but this time can range from two days to two weeks.

How it spreads

Usually parasite It spreads Through food or water contaminated with feces, according to the CDC.

Outbreaks of foodborne cyclosporosis have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as berries, basil, snow peas, lettuce and cilantro, according to the report. Center for Disease Control.

How is infection diagnosed?

A health care provider will diagnose cyclosporiosis by testing stool samples, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Patients may have to provide several stool samples on different days to detect the parasite because laboratory tests may have difficulty detecting Cyclospora.

The CDC says the patient’s health care provider will need to specifically request testing for the parasite.

How is cyclosporiasis treated?

Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold under the names Bactrim, Septra, and Cotrim, and taken for 10 days, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry. Center for Disease Control.

The CDC says most people with healthy immune systems will eventually recover without treatment, but if left untreated, patients may be sick for a few days to a month or more.

How to prevent infection

It’s unclear exactly how Cyclospora contaminates food and water, according to… Center for Disease Control.

The agency says people can Prevent infection By washing produce well, cutting off broken or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables, and refrigerating pre-prepared or pre-cut produce.

Additionally, the CDC recommends washing hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.