Cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection causing gastrointestinal illness, have spiked in Ohio. According to the Ohio Department of Health, over 170 cases have been reported since June 20. With worry growing, primary care provider Dr. Austin Williams provides insight into detection, prevention, and treatment.

 “[Cyclosporiasis] is usually waterborne or foodborne, and it is primarily a diarrheal illness,” Dr. Williams says, “so it looks a lot like food poisoning.”

How does it spread?

Cyclospora, the parasite that causes cyclosporiasis, is most commonly spread through contaminated food or water. Often, produce washed with contaminated water can carry the parasite.

“It doesn’t take much of an exposure to become infected by it,” says Dr. Williams. “Anything that is washed with potentially contaminated water is going to be a risk for getting cyclospora.”

While the parasite is most often spread through food and water, poor hand hygiene can also be a leading cause of spread, especially when caring for someone who is infected.

Cases of cyclosporiasis are mostly seen during the warm months of spring and summer.

“The parasite thrives during periods of high temperature and high humidity,” says Dr. Williams.

Symptoms

Most people with cyclosporiasis will experience gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and nausea. A low-grade fever is also common. Though cases are usually mild, severity can fluctuate.

“A lot of times, cyclospora will cause a self-limited illness,” Dr. Williams says. “One to two days of illness, and then symptoms will resolve. Sometimes it can cause relapsing and remitting diarrhea, so you’ll go a couple of days, feel like you’re okay, and then suddenly it will come back.”

In many cases, children experience more severe symptoms than healthy adults.

When to see a healthcare provider

While many people recover on their own, persistent symptoms should not be ignored.

“If you’re having symptoms that don’t seem to want to go away, or you’ve got several people around you that are sick with a similar illness after eating the same food or having the same exposure, those are the clues you want to put together,” Dr. Williams says.

Healthcare providers can diagnose cyclosporiasis with a stool test that looks for the parasite. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the infection can be treated with antibiotics.

“The good thing is that this is fairly easy to treat,” says Dr. Williams. 

Dehydration

The major concern with cyclosporiasis is often not the infection itself, but the dehydration that can accompany ongoing diarrhea.

“You really want to push fluids and make sure you are staying hydrated,” Dr. Williams says.

Signs of dehydration include excessive dry mouth, decreased urination, lightheadedness, and, in children, crying without producing tears.

How to reduce risk

Although eliminating all risk is not possible, there are steps to take to reduce the chances of infection. The two main ways to do so are regular handwashing and cleaning produce before eating.

“Hand washing will always be the best way of preventing transmissible illnesses,” Dr. Williams says. “Make sure you’re washing your hands, and make sure you’re boiling or cooking food to kill the parasite. Those are the two big things for prevention.”