07/13/2026
Cyclosporiasis (or the "explosive diarrhea" parasite, as it's being called on social media) is an infection that can spread to humans through food and water and can cause diarrhea, frequent bowel movements, and other intestinal symptoms. It can be treated with antibiotics and is generally not a life-threatening illness. It's unlikely to be transmitted between people.
Michigan has seen a rise in cases of cyclosporiasis this summer, with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reporting over 1,500 cases as of July 10. Ohio public health officials have also seen a rise in cases, which may be tied to the same source as the Michigan outbreak.
Thousands of cases have also been reported in at least 31 states, but these are not necessarily part of an outbreak, meaning they don‘t represent an increase in illnesses above what is normal. For example, New York state has recorded approximately 394 cyclosporiasis cases since May 1, but noted that this number is not higher than normal for this time of year. Some of the cases reported nationwide may be associated with travel from other countries where the cyclosporiasis is more common.
So is produce the source of the outbreak? Cyclosporiasis can spread to humans through food and water that has had contact with f***s. The parasite has to live outside of the body in a warm environment for one to two weeks before it can infect people. Produce is thought to be contaminated through irrigation water. If you're worried about your produce, here are some tips:
▪️ Wash produce thoroughly with running water prior to eating.
▪️Wash your hands thoroughly before and after and be careful to avoid cross-contamination from splashing water.
▪️Cut away brown or soft spots on produce before eating.
▪️Refrigerate any produce that has been cooked or cut within two hours.
In July 2026, the Trump administration scaled back FoodNet, a CDC foodborne illness surveillance program. These cuts included removing the requirement for tracking cyclosporiasis under the program. FoodNet is used to track illness trends over time, not monitor foods to prevent outbreaks, so these cuts did not increase the likelihood an outbreak would occur.
While FoodNet cuts did not cause this outbreak, lack of federal resources does make it harder for the CDC and its state partners to solve outbreaks like this one. This is precisely why CSPI and our coalition partners have been urging Congress to increase food safety funding this year by adding $37 million to the CDC's budget.
If you want to read our full article on this outbreak, click the link in our bio!
