Cases of cyclosporiasis have now spread to 37 counties in Florida, with reported illnesses spiking by nearly 100 in just one week this month.
The Cyclospora parasite causes extreme diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite, according to the CDC.
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The Florida Department of Health’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report showed 167 cases from Jan. 1 to July 18, but one week later, that number jumped to 264 on July 25, the last date that data is available.
That includes 22 cases in Northeast Florida counties:
- St. Johns: 7
- Duval: 6
- Alachua: 4
- Flagler: 3
- Nassau: 1
- Columbia: 1
Other counties outside Northeast Florida with cases include: Bay, Brevard, Broward, Collier, Escambia, Gadsden, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Jackson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter, Volusia, Wakulla and Walton.
In most scenarios, people who get cyclosporiasis will recover on their own. But in some cases, people can have persistent symptoms and relapsing infections over time, so any suspected cases should be tested, officials urge.
Once a case is confirmed through testing, a report is sent to the state department of health.
Direct human-to-human transmission is rare, officials say, but if infected, people could shed the parasite into the environment, where it could become infectious again within a week or two, contributing to another outbreak.
The outbreak was first reported in Michigan on July 1, with other outbreaks later reported in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, according to the CDC.
While all 50 states have now reported cases, the source of the outbreak is still unknown.
But the CDC is investigating multiple clusters of Cyclospora cases, including one multistate outbreak affecting nine states linked to iceberg lettuce.