More than 200 instances of ‘explosive diarrhoea’ as salad greens important suspect of outbreak
More than 200 cases of cyclosporiasis – a parasitic illness that can cause “explosive” diarrhoea – have been confirmed in Indiana as the CDC logs 1,645 cases across 34 states and investigators probe suspected contaminated salad greens.
More than 200 cases of a parasitic illness that can trigger “explosive” diarrhoea have been reported(Image: Getty Images)
More than 200 cases of a parasitic illness that can trigger “explosive” diarrhoea have been reported in one specific area. Cyclosporiasis first began cropping up in the United States in early May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
On Monday (July 13), the CDC said 1,645 confirmed cases across 34 states had been reported, with thousands more illnesses still under review as investigators try to pin down the source. The outbreak’s epicentre is the Midwest, in Indiana.
The state has recorded 206 confirmed cases, with the highest concentrations in the northwest, central and northeast of the state, including 28 cases in Marion County, which covers the Indianapolis metro area.
Cyclospora cayetanensis(Image: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Nearby states have reportedly been hit harder still, with Michigan soaring past 3,300 cases and Ohio reporting more than 500, according to reports linked to the investigation. Health officials believe the parasite is being spread when people consume food or water contaminated with infected human faeces.
The exact source of the 2026 outbreak remains under investigation, but authorities strongly suspect fresh lettuce or salad greens, the Hill reported. Past outbreaks have been linked to imported produce including raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas and pre packaged salad mixes.
One key point is that you cannot catch it directly from another person, NPR reported. The parasite needs days to weeks outside the body to become infectious.
Technician holding a specimen container with stool sample for cyclospora test(Image: Getty Images)
The CDC also notes Cyclospora can survive in chlorinated water features, although there is currently no evidence linking this outbreak to swimming pools. Symptoms usually strike about a week after exposure, anywhere from two to 14 days, and can include watery, “explosive” diarrhoea, severe stomach cramps, bloating, loss of appetite, rapid weight loss, fatigue and a low grade fever.
Without proper treatment, the illness can come and go for days to more than a month. Doctors are being warned that routine stool tests can miss Cyclospora, meaning specific Cyclospora testing or molecular PCR tests may be needed, Infection Control Today reported.
The illness is treatable, but usually requires a seven to 10 day course of the antibiotic trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, also known as Bactrim or Septra. Around nine per cent of confirmed patients nationwide, 141 people, have been hospitalised with severe dehydration, though no deaths have been reported.
Officials say people should not stop eating fresh produce, but should wash fruit and veg thoroughly under running water, scrub firm produce such as melons or cucumbers, and dry items with a clean paper towel. Heat destroys the parasite, and cooked vegetables and commercially frozen fruits have not been linked to the outbreak.
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