Gut-wrecking stomach illness cyclosporiasis hits Tennessee
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The gut-wrecking parasite surging in the U.S. is also spreading in Tennessee.
The big picture: The gastrointestinal illness, called cyclosporiasis, is caused by a microscopic parasite spreading through contaminated food.
- The infection typically spreads during the summer, and can cause symptoms like "explosive" or "watery" diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- But many states are seeing a surge in cases beyond the usual reported incidents, raising questions about what's causing the outbreak.
By the numbers: Tennessee has seen as many as 30 confirmed cases as of last week, per the CDC.
- By comparison: Only one case had been confirmed by the state as of May 30, per the health department.
Flashback: State data shows cyclosporiasis has become more common over time. From 2013-2016, Tennessee only logged one case per year.
- But since then, annual tallies regularly reach into double digits. In 2023, Tennessee reported 71 cases.
Zoom out: In the U.S., at least 843 cases across 31 states were reported to the CDC between May 1 and July 9.
Reality check: Individual states are already reporting much higher figures, with some tallies suggesting about 3,000 cases nationwide. Michigan alone reported cases skyrocketing to more than 1,500 last week.
Threat level: Symptoms — which also include loss of appetite, weight loss and abdominal cramping — can last for a few days or even a month or longer without any treatment, the CDC says.
- Health officials don't consider cyclosporiasis to be life-threatening. Some infections resolve on their own while others require antibiotics.
How it works: Cases in the U.S. have recently come from eating contaminated produce.
- Experts recommend washing produce under running water before eating or cooking.
- Firm produce items, like cucumbers or watermelons, should be scrubbed with a clean brush.
What we're watching: Health officials are still uncertain why it's spreading so quickly, and whether the cases are all linked.
- "Nobody's identified a source yet ... or a particular food or a particular line of transmission, but there's something going on," David Freedman, MD, a professor emeritus of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told Axios.
The intrigue: Some Taco Bell locations have temporarily stopped serving lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and cilantro due to the outbreak.