GEORGIA — As many as 10 Georgians might have been infected with a food-borne parasite where the most common symptom is explosive diarrhea.
Cyclosporiasis has been reported in 17 states across the country, according to health surveillance by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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New York, Texas and Illinois are the states reporting the most cases, but exact numbers were unavailable.
In Georgia, between one and 10 people have become ill from the infection, the source of which is still under investigation.
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Where has the illness been reported?
The CDC reported that there are 145 cases reported in the U.S., and 20 people who have gotten the illness have been hospitalized.
Along with Georgia, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin all have cases of cyclosporiasis reported.
The largest concentration of cases is in New York, according to the CDC’s surveillance report, where between 31 and 80 people have been reported to have gotten sick with cyclosporiasis.
The CDC did not provide specific infection numbers for any of the states reporting cases.
When is the illness most common?
The cyclosporiasis season is typically considered between May 1 to Aug. 31, where case counts usually rise, according to historical data.
Health officials said that while there are more than 100 cases in the U.S., with those infected getting sick from May 1 to June 16, there is no evidence to suggest a single, multistate Cyclospora outbreak to link the cases together.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says the parasite that causes the illness, Cyclospora, “infects the small intestine (bowel) and usually causes watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.”
For those who become ill after eating or drinking something with Cyclospora in it, symptoms last about a week on average, though the amount of time can range from two days to more than two weeks, depending on severity.
Other people may not show symptoms at all. The CDC says the illness is not spread through contact with infected individuals.
The full list of symptoms includes watery diarrhea (most commonly), as well as a loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue.
Some less common symptoms are vomiting, body aches, headaches, low-grade fever and other flu-like symptoms.
If the illness goes untreated, symptoms can last for a month or longer, according to the CDC.
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