How to protect your children from cyclosporiasis

A parasitic intestinal illness has been spreading rapidly across the United States. As of July 13, there have been 1,645 cyclosporiasis cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention across 32 U.S. states, with thousands more under investigation.

“We anticipate continuing to see cases increase, possibly through the end of August.” said Gwen Biggerstaff, deputy director of CDC’s division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases, during a CDC conference on Tuesday. 

The main source of the outbreak has yet to be identified and is still under active investigation by the CDC.

Here’s how to identify symptoms of cyclosporiasis in children and best protect them from the illness. 

Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., advises parents to reach out to their children’s clinician and request cyclosporiasis testing if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Diarrhea lasting more than a few days
• Watery diarrhea
• Fever accompanied by diarrhea
• Blood in stool
• Signs of dehydration
• Unexplained weight loss
• Vomiting
• Symptoms that go away and come back

Children with weaker immune systems or other health issues may suffer from the illness for a longer time and experience more severe symptoms, including severe dehydration, trouble absorbing nutrients, or inflammation in the body.

Related: A parasite that causes ‘explosive diarrhea’ is on the rise. Here’s what Texans should know

Cyclospora infection can be confirmed through stool samples, and is treated with antibiotics. 

The illness is not life-threatening for most healthy children. However, if left untreated, cyclosporiasis symptoms may come and go in children, and the illness may persist for a few days to up to a few weeks, according to Children’s Mercy. 

With appropriate treatment, children can improve in 1 to 2 weeks. Some symptoms, like diarrhea or fatigue, may persist for a short period. 

Routine chemical disinfection or sanitization of food or water is unlikely to kill cyclospora, the parasite that causes cyclosporiasis. But heating foods to 158 degrees or higher can kill the parasite and make food safe for consumption.

The CDC advises consumers to follow their general food safety handling recommendations to decrease their risk of foodborne illnesses. This includes washing hands and fresh produce thoroughly under running water before cooking, cutting or eating. 

Children’s Mercy recommends additional precautions be taken to protect children from cyclospora, including cleaning surfaces regularly, washing laundry with care and not allowing infected persons to prepare food. 

The best thing to help children recover from cyclosporiasis would be to keep them hydrated with fluids and electrolytes, said Dr. Philip Huang, the director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Related: What foods should I avoid to protect myself from diarrhea-causing parasite?

Although the CDC has yet to identify any specific foods to avoid, previous outbreaks have been linked to basil, cilantro, lettuce, raspberries and snow peas. 

Huang recommends people avoid buying bagged leafy greens. If purchasing lettuce, he said, you should buy a whole head of lettuce, peel off a few of the external layers, and wash it thoroughly.

Frozen and canned produce, as well as preserves, like jams, are considered safe to eat. 

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite cyclospora. It spreads through the consumption of food or water contaminated with cyclospora and cannot be spread from person to person. 

Cyclosporiasis is considered a seasonal illness, with case numbers spiking from May 1 to Aug. 31. 

Those infected with cyclospora begin experiencing symptoms one to two weeks after exposure. Symptoms include cramping, nausea, loss of appetite, low-grade fever and watery, sometimes frequent diarrhea. 

Niamh Ordner is a science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. The News makes all editorial decisions.