Learning About Cyclosporiasis

Cyclosporiasis (say "sy-kloh-spuh-RY-uh-sus) is a type of food poisoning caused by a parasite. It's an illness of the intestines that causes severe diarrhea and other symptoms.

If the illness is untreated, the symptoms may last from a few days to a month or longer. In many cases, the illness ends and then comes back again in a cycle.

The illness is caused by a single-cell parasite called cyclospora. A parasite is a living thing that thrives inside another living thing. In this case, the parasite lives inside an infected person’s intestines.

Infected people have consumed food—usually produce—or water that’s been in contact with feces. It's often not known how the feces got into the food or water in the first place.

Symptoms of cyclosporiasis may appear from 2 days to 2 weeks or more after consuming the parasite. The average is about a week. Symptoms include:

• Watery, forceful diarrhea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Increased gas.
• Nausea.
• Long-lasting tiredness (fatigue).
• Vomiting.
• Body aches.
• Low-grade fever.
• Flu-like symptoms.

In severe cases, cyclosporiasis can cause other problems, including:

• Dehydration: Your body loses more fluids than it takes in, so it doesn't have enough water to work properly.
• Malabsorption: Nutrients aren't being absorbed from the intestines into the blood.

Rarely, it can cause joint inflammation or problems with the gallbladder.

Your doctor will check your health history and ask about your symptoms. You may be asked if you’ve recently traveled to places where cyclosporiasis is common. Your doctor will also want to know if you've eaten food that may have been recalled due to concerns about infection.

You’ll give a stool sample for testing. The stool sample will be examined in a lab. One negative result doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have it. You might have to give more than one sample on different days to make sure.

You may receive an antibiotic that kills the parasite in your body. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.

Treatment also includes self-care for diarrhea. You'll need to stay hydrated with sips of water or a rehydration drink.

There is no vaccine for cyclosporiasis. It is unlikely to spread by person-to-person contact. But there are things you can do to protect yourself:

• Don’t eat food or drink water that may be contaminated with the cyclospora parasite. Be alert to public announcements of food recalls in your area.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water, even if the label says it’s pre-washed. Washing food helps reduce the risk but may not remove the parasite.
• Cook foods when possible. Cooking kills the parasite.