- The US faces a major outbreak of cyclosporiasis, with nearly 7,000 potential cases, over 3,300 in Michigan alone, linked to tainted lettuce.
- Actual case numbers are likely higher due to underdiagnosis, as labs don't routinely test for it and mild cases often go unreported, potentially doubling CDC tallies.
- Cyclospora causes severe, prolonged diarrhea and is hard to eliminate; it lodges in raw produce like lettuce and berries, resisting bleach and common sanitizers.
- Cooking kills the parasite, but contaminated foods are often eaten raw, with recent outbreaks including domestic sources, not just imports.
- The parasite spreads via water supplies used for irrigation, threatening larger outbreaks as infected waste contaminates water, and it resists chlorine in treatment systems.
- Experts warn the outbreak could expand rapidly through food distribution networks, potentially affecting all 50 states.