What to know about cyclosporiasis in Texas
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Cases of cyclosporiasis, a gut-wrecking parasitic illness, are climbing across the U.S. as investigators work to identify the source.
Why it matters: San Antonio's Metro Health has investigated five cases this year, the agency tells Axios.
The big picture: The gastrointestinal illness is caused by a microscopic parasite spreading through contaminated food.
- The infection typically spreads during the summer, but some states are seeing a surge in cases beyond the usual reported incidents, raising questions about what's causing the outbreak.
- In recent years, cases in the U.S. have come from eating contaminated produce.
- The illness does not spread person-to-person, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Driving the news: The CDC has received reports of at least 843 cases across 31 states between May 1 and July 9.
Context: The U.S. averaged 579 cases annually between 2018 and 2022.
Zoom out: Texas reported 48 cases of cyclosporiasis May 1–July 6, Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Douglas Loveday tells Axios.
- The cases did not involve foreign travel.
- Most of the cases were located in the Rio Grande Valley and Houston area, Loveday says.
Threat level: Health officials do not consider cyclosporiasis to be life-threatening.
- Symptoms, which include "explosive" or "watery" diarrhea, can last for a few days or even a month or longer without treatment, the CDC says. Some symptoms, like diarrhea, may disappear but then return.
What to watch for: 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.
- Bruised or damaged areas of fruit should be cut off, experts say.
What they're saying: A spokesperson for H-E-B tells Axios the company is closely monitoring the situation but none of their suppliers have reported issues with cyclosporiasis.
- "At H-E-B, the safety of our products is our top priority. We work with trusted suppliers who must follow H-E-B's strict health and safety standards," H-E-B said in a statement.