County No. 2 in state for Cyclospora infection cases
An intestinal illness that has plagued the country has seen a number of cases in Lee County.
Cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, has caused thousands across the United States to fall ill.
As of July 11, there were 97 confirmed cases in Florida, with Lee County seeing the second-most cases by county with 15. Miami-Dade, with 18, had the most.
“People can become infected with Cyclospora by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite,” according to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). “The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue. Most healthy individuals do not need antibiotics to treat the illness. Seek medical attention if symptoms persist.”
Lee County first started seeing cases as early as April. In June, seven confirmed cases were reported, and thus far in July, six confirmed cases have appeared.
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it — along with state and federal partners — are working together to investigate several outbreaks of Cyclosporiasis.
CDC officials on July 16 stated there is a large, multistage outbreak occurring in “at least” four midwestern states, including Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.
“Public health officials are interviewing people linked to this outbreak to find out what foods they ate before getting sick,” they said. “A specific food item has not yet been confirmed as the source. Investigators are collecting as much information as they can to solve this outbreak.”
According to FDOH officials, consumers can reduce exposure risk of foodborne illnesses by practicing good hygiene and following safe food-handling practices. People are encouraged to wash their fruits and vegetables before consuming.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Cyclosporiasis are linked to fresh herbs and leafy greens.
“In the United States, outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce. People can get infected with Cyclospora more than once,” CDC officials also said.
“It takes at least one to two weeks in the environment (outside the body) for Cyclospora to become infectious after passing in a bowel movement. Therefore, direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely,” they added.
This is not the first time the illness has arrived in Florida, officials said.
According to FDOH data, there were 10 cases in 2024, 20 cases in 2023 and 17 cases in 2022. In 2017, there were 23 cases reported.
“Cyclosporiasis is a seasonal disease that affects Floridians every year,” FDOH officials said.
According to the CDC, symptoms usually begin about one week after an individual is infected — with some showing as early as two days and as late as two weeks. CDC officials said without treatment, symptoms can last from a few days to a month or longer.
CDC officials said individuals experiencing symptoms of Cyclospora infection should see a healthcare provider.
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