# CDC Warns of Parasite Outbreak Spreading Across 17 States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning about Cyclospora cayetanensis, a parasite causing severe gastrointestinal illness across multiple states. This single-celled parasite triggers acute diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and fatigue in infected people.
Cyclospora spreads through contaminated water and fresh produce, particularly berries, leafy greens, and herbs. The parasite requires days to become infectious after leaving an infected person's body, which means direct person-to-person transmission is rare. Most outbreaks trace back to contaminated imported foods.
Symptoms typically emerge between one and two weeks after exposure. Infected people shed the parasite for weeks, even after symptoms resolve, making careful hygiene essential for preventing spread to family members and others.
The CDC recommends these prevention steps. Wash all fresh produce under running water before eating, even pre-packaged salad mixes and berries. When traveling internationally, avoid uncooked vegetables and fruits you cannot peel yourself. Drink bottled or boiled water in areas where water safety is uncertain. Practice thorough handwashing with soap and warm water after using the bathroom and before preparing food.
If your child develops severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, or persistent symptoms lasting longer than a few days, contact your pediatrician. A stool sample can confirm Cyclospora infection. Doctors treat confirmed cases with the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). Without treatment, symptoms may last weeks or months.
Keep infected children home from school or childcare until diarrhea stops. Caregivers should change diapers carefully, wash hands thoroughly, and disinfect changing surfaces