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Illinois cyclosporiasis cases surge as doctors warn about certain produce

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:33:04 -0500

A sharp increase of cyclosporiasis cases in Illinois is prompting warnings from health officials to take extra precautions with fresh produce.

Cyclosporiasis in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported nearly 150 cases of the intestinal infection this year, prompting renewed concern as officials work to identify the source of the outbreak.

Health officials have not yet determined what is causing the current cases, but Dr. Lauren Smith, chief medical officer at Cook County Health, said residents should be especially careful when handling fresh fruits and vegetables.

"The recommendations currently are to avoid purchasing the pre-wash bags of lettuce and if you are going to buy lettuce or cabbage or leafy vegetables, you probably want to remove the outer layer first. Go ahead and throw that away and then thoroughly rinse off all the other leaves that you might eat," Smith said.

She noted that previous outbreaks have been linked to raspberries and cilantro.

"So if you're buying fresh produce, you really want to make sure that you are washing that in the sink very thoroughly, hoping that you will wash away the parasites and not ingest it," Smith said.

The illness typically causes watery diarrhea that can last for weeks if left untreated.

"The most predominant feature is the watery explosive diarrhea and so it's really key to stay hydrated," Smith said. "You want to drink a lot of water and a lot electrolytes. If you feel like you're not able to keep up with your hydration, then you're going to need to proceed to an emergency room."

Symptoms generally begin two to 14 days after exposure and can persist for an extended period. Smith said antibiotics are available, but patients should first undergo testing to confirm the parasite is the cause of their illness.

"So there are antibiotics that we can prescribe, but you do have to do a specific test on the stool to know if this is actually what you have in the cause, because we also want to make sure that it's not something else," she said. "So if you are having a prolonged course where you're beyond one or two weeks, you definitely want to seek medical expert advice."

People with weakened immune systems may face a greater risk of serious illness.

Illinois is not alone in seeing an increase. Smith said neighboring states are also reporting unusually high case counts.

"Yes, so we know that in Michigan and Ohio, they are seeing the highest levels," Smith said. "Michigan typically around this time may see 50 cases. They've already seen 1,000. In the state of Illinois, we are around 150."

She added that roughly half of Illinois' cases involve people who recently traveled outside the United States, while the other half appear to have been contracted locally.

"So we are seeing trends that are higher than normal," Smith said. "There is a seasonality to this. So, typically, you will see cases between May and August, but we are seeing it at a much significantly higher rate."

Cyclosporiasis in Illinois: Cases are higher than average. Here's how to avoid getting sick

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:07:15 -0500

Illinois health officials are reporting a higher-than-average number of cyclosporiasis cases and are urging residents to take precautions as federal and state agencies investigate a nationwide increase in infections.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said Monday the cases are consistent with increases reported in several other states, though they did not release an exact number of cases.

Illinois is among the states reporting the highest number of infections, according to health officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state health departments are investigating the increase, but officials have not identified a single source of the outbreak.

"There is no evidence of a large outbreak accounting for all or most of these cases," health officials said. "IDPH continues to work with the CDC and other public health partners to look for trends."

Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic illness caused by Cyclospora that spreads through food or water contaminated with feces. The infection can cause severe, sometimes explosive diarrhea, and symptoms may last for more than a month if left untreated.

How to reduce your risk

While investigators continue to search for a source, IDPH recommends taking the following precautions:

Wash all fresh produce under running water before eating, cutting or cooking.
Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.

For foods commonly eaten raw, officials recommend additional steps:

Leafy greens: Buy whole heads of lettuce instead of prewashed bagged lettuce or salad mixes. Remove and discard the outer two or three layers of leaves, then wash the remaining leaves under running water. Cook leafy greens when possible.
Cilantro and basil: Separate the leaves and wash thoroughly under running water. Cooking is the safest option.
Raspberries: Wash carefully, although their uneven surface can make them difficult to clean completely. Cooking them in foods such as pies or jams is safest. Frozen raspberries may reduce the risk but do not guarantee the parasite has been eliminated.
Snow peas: Wash under running water while rubbing the surface. Cooking is the safest option.
Green onions: Trim the root end, remove the outer layer and wash thoroughly under running water. Cooking is recommended when possible.

Cyclosporiasis symptoms

Symptoms typically develop two to 14 days after exposure and may include:

Frequent watery diarrhea.
Loss of appetite and weight loss.
Abdominal cramps and bloating.
Nausea. Vomiting is less common.
Low-grade fever.

Without treatment, symptoms may last from several days to more than a month and can improve before returning one or more times.

Health officials said cyclosporiasis can be treated with antibiotics.

Cyclosporiasis in Illinois: These foods have been linked to past outbreaks

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:27:01 -0500

A cyclosporiasis outbreak continues across the United States, with Illinois reporting multiple cases of the parasitic illness this summer.

The infection can cause severe, sometimes explosive diarrhea and symptoms that can last more than a month.

Health officials in Michigan are reminding consumers about produce linked to previous cyclosporiasis outbreaks as investigators work to determine the source of the current outbreak.

Cyclosporiasis cases in Illinois

Between 11 and 30 people in Illinois have been sickened by the parasite since May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That places Illinois among the states reporting the highest number of cases.

The CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state health departments are investigating the illnesses but have not identified a common source.

IDPH on cyclosporiasis

The Illinois Department of Public Health released the following statement on the bug:

"IDPH is seeing a higher-than-average number of reported cases of cyclosporiasis, consistent with what is being seen in several other states. It can be contracted by consuming food or water contaminated with feces. At this point, no single source or cause of this increase has been identified, and there is no evidence of a large outbreak accounting for all or most of these cases. IDPH continues to work with the CDC and other public health partners to look for trends. In the meantime, IDPH recommends following all guidelines for safe food handling, including washing produce (wash all fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking; scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush)."

List of fruits, vegetables

As of July 4, investigators had not identified a specific type of produce, grower or supplier as the source of the current outbreak.

However, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has released a list of fruits and vegetables that have been linked to previous cyclosporiasis outbreaks in the United States and Canada:

Bagged salad mixes and kits (pre-cut lettuce blends with romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, carrots)
Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
Fresh basil
Raspberries
Snow peas
Green onions (scallions)

If you are preparing or eating any of the following raw foods, take the following steps to reduce the risk of exposure:

Lettuce/leafy greens: Buy whole heads of lettuce (rather than prewashed, bagged lettuce or salad mixes), throw away the outer 2–3 layers of leaves and wash the inner leaves under running water. For leafy greens that can be cooked, cooking is the safest option.
Cilantro, basil: Wash thoroughly under running water, separating the leaves. Safest when cooked.
Raspberries: Their bumpy surface makes them especially hard to clean; the parasite can hide in the tiny crevices. Safest when cooked (pies, jams etc.). Consider frozen raspberries as an alternative (freezing may reduce but does not guarantee elimination of the parasite).
Snow peas: Wash under running water and rub the surface. Safest when cooked.
Green onions: Trim the root end and remove the outer layer, wash thoroughly under running water. Safest when cooked.

What is cyclosporiasis?

Cyclosporiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by infection with the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which experts say is found in developing countries and is spread by food or water contaminated with feces.

Outbreaks have occurred in the US as a result of eating contaminated fresh produce in hot weather.

It is not known to spread from person-to-person.

Cyclosporiasis symptoms

Symptoms occur two to 14 days after exposure and may include:

Frequent watery diarrhea
Loss of appetite and weight
Abdominal cramps and bloating
Nausea (vomiting is less common)
Low-grade fever

Anyone infected who does not get treatment, health experts say the illness may last for a few days to over a month. Symptoms could go away and then return one or more times.

Cyclosporiasis treatment

If you experience sudden, ongoing diarrhea, reach out to your health care provider and your local health department.

Symptoms can be improved with an antibiotic.