Michigan Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Grows to 170+ Cases

Michigan usually sees about 50 cases of this parasite a year. It's seen more than three times that in just nine days.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Tuesday that a cyclosporiasis outbreak first identified in Monroe County on June 22 has grown to more than 170 confirmed cases across seven southeast Michigan counties.

Where the Cases Are

Confirmed cases span Monroe (70), Lenawee (33), Washtenaw (21), Wayne (12), Shiawassee (7), Jackson (7), and Livingston County, according to MDHHS. An additional 24 cases have been reported across 11 other Michigan counties, including the city of Detroit.

State epidemiologist Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for Michigan, said the scale of the increase caught officials' attention quickly. "Based on the unusual number of cases we have identified in a little over a week, we anticipate additional cases of illness being reported," she said.

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What's Causing It

Cyclosporiasis is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite spread through food or water contaminated with feces. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is working alongside MDHHS to identify the source, which recent US outbreaks have typically traced back to contaminated fresh produce during summer months.

The illness is not known to spread person-to-person, meaning each case likely reflects a separate exposure to the same contaminated source, whatever it turns out to be.

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Who's Affected

Those diagnosed range in age from 8 to 84, with a median age of 41, according to MDHHS data. Symptoms typically appear two to 14 days after exposure and include frequent watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea, and low-grade fever.

Left untreated, the illness can last anywhere from a few days to over a month, and symptoms can seem to resolve before returning one or more times. Antibiotic treatment can significantly shorten the course of illness.

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What Officials Are Telling Residents

MDHHS is urging anyone experiencing sudden or ongoing diarrhea to contact a healthcare provider, and to reach out to their local health department if other household members develop similar symptoms. Investigators are interviewing confirmed cases to try to pin down a common point of exposure, whether a specific product, restaurant, or supplier.

In the meantime, officials recommend washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking, scrubbing firm produce like melons and cucumbers with a clean brush, and refrigerating cut or peeled produce within two hours.

A Broader National Pattern

Michigan isn't alone. Bagdasarian noted that cyclosporiasis upticks have been reported across the country this year, not just in Michigan, consistent with the seasonal pattern health officials typically see between May and August. State officials are sharing their investigation data with the CDC as the search for the source continues.

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