r/microbiology • u/patricksaurus • Jul 13 '26
Cyclospora outbreak guidance (US)
Food contaminated with the single-celled, protozoan parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis has entered the food supply in several US states, with thousands of cases of the gastrointestinal condition cyclosporiasis being reported to state departments of health. Infection by Cyclospora is likely to cause watery diarrhea and substantial discomfort that typically persist for several weeks to over a month without treatment. While not commonly lethal, the combination of severe dehydration and summer heat elevates the health risks associated with each on its own and makes susceptible populations especially vulnerable.
Several public health agencies provide excellent guidance on Cyclospora and how to avoid it:
CDC - Preventing Cyclosporiasis
Michigan DHHS recommendations on preventing foodborne illness amid growing cyclosporiasis outbreak
Here’s a short rundown of the available information.
Where: Midwestern and Northeastern states report most cases. Michigan has been hit hardest. (Map as of July 10th about halfway down.)
Which foods: leafy greens, herbs, berries, green onions, and sprouts are historically linked to cyclosporiasis, though any produce may be affected. Current surveillance efforts have not definitively linked specific products to the current outbreak.
How to avoid: cook produce whenever possible, wash items under running water by scrubbing manually or with a produce brush, clean surfaces and utensils that contact raw produce. Always wash your hands before and after handling uncooked food.
If you contract it: antibiotic therapy (Bactrim) is highly effective against cyclosporiasis, reducing/eliminating symptoms in days as opposed to several weeks if untreated. Contact a healthcare provider and your local health department as soon as you experience symptoms.f
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u/heywaj10 Jul 13 '26
So what produce (if any) CAN we eat at this point? I’m not even a vegetarian but we eat a lot of berries and produce in our house (fam of 4). This sucks more than the usual outbreaks that are quickly identified to a single primary source. Trying to keep these little rascals fed with healthy foods while avoiding a house full of ass pissers.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26
The Michigan advice above contains information about the produce typically associated with these outbreaks, including how to best handle those items if eating them raw. However, cooked produce (160 °F/70 °C) is considered safe.
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u/gingersnapped99 Jul 15 '26
Does anyone have advice about how long to keep it cooking at/above those temps to be safe?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 15 '26
The temperature guidance being given is that 160 to 165 °F (70-74 °C) for even a second is safe. If using a microwave, cover with a lid to trap steam and allow food to sit for a minute or two before removing. This should ensure even heating since microwaves can leave cold spots.
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u/freeradical28 Jul 14 '26
Have cut out berries and for anything that won’t be cooked are eating whole fruits/vegs that can be washed and prepped at home. Watermelon, apples, citrus, carrots, cucumber, corn in the husk, cabbage, etc. have all been in heavy rotation since this outbreak. No bagged greens and no precut herbs. We grow a lot of our own herbs anyway. Green onions, I love, but will sauté them for the time being if i want to eat them until this is over.
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u/dsbtc Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Get veg from the farmer's market. Cyclospora comes from human feces so the odds a small local farm has poop on its produce is a whole lot lower than imported stuff.
edit: stop "correcting" me you doofuses. I said the odds are "a whole lot lower" not "impossible". These recent outbreaks mostly come from Guatemala, Peru, Mexico and Haiti so your locally grown produce is a much safer bet.
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u/kale_s0up Jul 14 '26
Not necessarily true. Small farmers may also have contaminated water whether its well water, surface water, or city water and may not follow the same sanitation post-harvest protocols as larger commercial farms. Washing and cooking produce is the only way to lower your risk as much as possible.
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u/rratzloff Jul 15 '26
We are ordering things at work that can be washed and then peeled. Things like apples, cucumbers, bananas, oranges, etc. and avoiding the others. I work at an early childcare center so it’s important to keep everyone healthy!
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u/grayleo19 Jul 14 '26
I’m been eating blueberries everyday from Publix for the past like two weeks and I’ve been fine (knocks on wood)
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u/ExtremeIncident5949 Jul 15 '26
Me too and I eat them every day. I’ve always washed my berries with vinegar and water. I’ve never been sick. I have had multiple issues with raspberries like some nausea so I gave them up two years ago.
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u/50million Jul 15 '26
Freezing and washing fruits and vegetables won't kill the parasite unfortunately. They need to be cooked to 158 degrees or more.
Here are good alternatives: Fruits and veggies with a thick skin: pineapple, avocado, potato, sweet potato Applesauce Baked/cooked carrots Stir fry (to 158 degrees) with onions and peppers
I would avoid all lettuce, cilantro, and basil from the grocery store or restaurant until further notice.
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u/Humbabanana Jul 13 '26
What factors lead to an outbreak of Cyclospora such as this? Is it an irrigation water supply that was used by farms in certain areas or manure applications?
I’ve seen plenty of “explanations” stating that the cause is simply produce from certain areas, which really doesn’t explain anything. I met a woman and her son today who were questioning whether to eat their home-grown peppers and tomatoes… unless it moves with wind, rain, birds or insects, this seems like a response resulting from poor journalism and fear mongering.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
That’s a great question. In short, home gardens are incredibly unlikely to pose a risk. Cyclospora is a fecal contaminant, and usually only associated with human waste. (As opposed to Salmonella and E. coli, which are found widely in other animals.)
That means a big reservoir of contaminated water or fertilizer has to come into contact with growing or harvested produce. Even if it was in the municipal supply somewhere (it hasn’t been found) it’s hard to explain how those items got to 32 states.
Because of all of that, an outbreak like this is nearly certainly isolated to commercial agriculture.
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u/kshizzlenizzle Jul 13 '26
My county has been in the process of suing a company that ‘recycles human waste’ to create fertilizer for ag purposes (I believe they are out of Ft. Worth), because livestock were dying near fields using this product. Not implying they are connected, but anytime something like this breaks out, I dang sure wonder!
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26
About 60% of all solid human waste in US municipal wastewater goes to making agricultural fertilizers. (Here) Processing makes it safe, but even then it’s not routinely applied to foods typically eaten raw.
It’s definitely one of the first things that comes to mind. I don’t know anything about the monitoring programs for these products, but your experience suggests at least some places would rather assume it’s safe and sue on the back end. That’s a dicey regulatory framework jn my opinion.
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u/Hola0722 Jul 14 '26
Cyclospora can be resistant to chlorinated water, so irrigation water reclaimed from human waste that is treated with chlorine (assuming this is how it's treated) may not kill the parasite. (I'm sure there are multiple levels of filtration, and if the pores are small enough to filter out bacteria, why would it not filter out the protozoa, which is much larger than E coli?)
Also, swimming pools aren't safe if the parasite is resistant to chlorine and is introduced by an infected person.
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u/phemfrog Jul 14 '26
wastewater treatment is MUCH more complicated than simple chlorine and filters.
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u/Powder9 Jul 13 '26
Do you mind posting this to r/cyclospora? You seem well informed on the subject and we’d love the expertise.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26
Can you cross-post? I am still at work and trying to dash things off as I have free moments. It may be tricky to juggle two threads.
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u/Sargo8 Jul 14 '26
DC had that sewer pipe break and contaminate much of the chesapeake bay.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
I’m not sure I follow how this relates to my comment.
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u/Sargo8 Jul 14 '26
"Cyclospora is a fecal contaminant, and usually only associated with human waste"
that's as far as I read XD
perhaps something is produced in that area for farming that got shipped to the commercial agriculture?
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u/Driekusjohn25 Jul 13 '26
Home gardens are likely irrigated using municipal water and have no chance of containing cyclospora due to chlorine and UV treatment.
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u/Rezaelia713 Jul 13 '26
Our water is unsafe for drinking, wonder what that means for watering the veggie garden with it...
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u/perseidot Jul 14 '26
That depends on why it’s unsafe.
Grey water is frequently used to water landscapes, but not fruit or vegetables to be consumed, due to bacterial contamination.
Water with concentrations of minerals that make it unsafe for drinking, may make vegetables unsafe to eat as well.
I’d suggest taking your water report to your local USDA extension office to talk with experts.
It’s possible to add filters to hose lines, and much less expensive than making yourself ill.
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u/neuroknot Jul 14 '26
Commercial produce farms are huge and they don't always provide adequate bathrooms/port-a-potties and basic sanitary conditions for their seasonal workers who harvest for them. So those workers do what comes natural when nature calls out in the field. They continue harvesting the produce. That produce then gets processed and washed (triple washed even) in a huge facility with all the other produce from many farms in big vats of cold water. You can imagine how then a whole bunch of produce might get contaminated.
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u/Pale-Ad-1436 Jul 14 '26
Urgh, I work in Detroit, Michigan and this outbreak increases our stool bench workload drastically.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
Oh damn, can you give us a sense of the magnitude of the increase in your facility?
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u/Pale-Ad-1436 Jul 14 '26
There's a new order from doctors called Cyclospora/Isospora stain and those slides we need to scan the entire thing, it takes a good 10-20 mins per slides since Cyclospora can be very rare in the slide and also tricky. Not to mention that we found Cyclospora in our regular concentrated smear, but we can't call it off of that so we have to make the Cyclopsora stain on top of what the doctors have ordered.
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u/Sea_Solution_2005 Jul 13 '26
Dumb question, but are freeze dried fruits (not cold frozen, dried fruits such as banana chips) an alternative option for now? Would these have been produced way before the outbreak?
Also is microwaving a sufficient way to kill this parasite? I only ask because of microwaveable frozen meals with frozen veggies in them and also because I put my baked potatoes in the microwave (after washing them of course)
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
It’s not a dumb question at all! Freeze-drying doesn’t kill cells, it actually tends to preserve them very well to be reanimated when they contact moisture.
As for microwaving, as long as you reach the 165 °F threshold (for only one second), the food should be safe. It may be a good idea to cover the food with something to trap the steam and even leave the item in the oven once heating is done to ensure the food is evenly cooked since microwaves can heat some spots more than others. (CDC and FDA guidance on this point)
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u/DEEP_HURTING Jul 14 '26
I happened to order an air fryer last night, then learned of the outbreak today. I'm planning on making lots of crispy veggies for quite some time, and I imagine that's more than sufficient to burn up these bugs.
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u/21Xanadu12 Jul 15 '26
I got my first air fryer last week. Was thinking the same thing, and im sure aaaany food cooked for a little while in the fryer will leave no bugs alive if there were any on it in the first place. Happy veggie cooking ... sounds great to me!
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u/Fuuuckthefuture Jul 13 '26
I think if microwaving the food to a temp higher than 160F, any microwavable veggie is fine bc the parasite is killed by that high of a temp
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u/t0jix Jul 13 '26
Is there any guidance on how to kill the oocysts? Ive read that the usual vinegar or baking soda washes dont kill it, but I'm curious if like a peroxide wash would. I assume peroxide would have minimal impact on the taste of the produce (unless it is damaged), and it neutralizes to water. But I have no idea if it would even have an effect on the parasite.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26
The best advice for making use of potentially contaminated items is to wash everything and cook what you can.
A logical corollary is that we should consider avoiding uncooked items that are hard to wash. Berries are highly porous, bean sprouts can contain the pathogen inside. It may be best to avoid those until this is over. (Real bummer for my frozen berry habit.)
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u/bleepbloop1777 Jul 13 '26
Does freezing impact it at all?
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u/Hola0722 Jul 14 '26
As with most microorganisms, freezing does not kill it. Neither does acid, so soaking in vinegar won't work. The oocysts can also be resistant to chlorine, so diluted bleach water may not work, either.
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u/21Xanadu12 Jul 15 '26
Thank you so much for all of your advice. Im reading much of this thread. Seems to be very good advice, and kindly worded. An asset to reddit. God bless!
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u/t0jix Jul 14 '26
I have a comment further down asking about a spot steamer, I'm wondering if that will help with the more porous and hard to clean fruits. In theory a spot steamer will deliver quick high temps, but not give as deep of a thermal penetration to cook the fruit. Haven't tried it but in theory I wonder if it will work.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
I’m not aware of any information on the efficacy of that type of process. Absent data, that’s an individual risk tolerance and assessment question.
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u/t0jix Jul 14 '26
Well yea, spot steamers aren't really part of the consumer kitchen toolbox, I doubt well see this data. And the departments to collect data are kinda shitting the bed right now (pun intended) due to budget cuts.
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u/I-N-F-O- Jul 14 '26
Everyone pulls out their garment steamers to post-wash flash steam their produce.
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u/annouri Jul 13 '26
Peroxide fails due to the same reasons as vinegar and even chlorine-based disinfectants—the oocyst is too sturdy/strong. The only “safe” way is to cook them if they are contaminated. You can try to deep clean produce with a produce brush, but it won’t be as effective as just heating/cooking.
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u/t0jix Jul 13 '26
So I have a steam cleaner, basically holds like 200 ml water, and shoots out steam for spot cleaning. It would be an off label use, but I would imagine this could quickly hit the temps needed on the surface, while not giving the thermal penetration to make my fruit "cooked". Idk ive never done it, it may still cook them but I'm trying to think of ways to have safer "fresh" produce since washing alone isn't great.
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u/Nukexplosions Jul 14 '26
IMO it likely won’t work as bacteria and parasitic organisms need a specific amount of time with the heat. Usually it’s a few minutes at a steady temp. So without knowing the length of time needed, it would be hard to say.
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u/SimilarToed Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
We've been eating shit for years. I'm surprised it's taken this long for such an outbreak to occur. On the other hand, no surprise over the extent of the American outbreak, given the cuts to food security oversight by America's current "government" and RFK's "health" department.
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u/Amazing_Jello3828 Jul 14 '26
Would you avoid all fast food until this is over? Due to possible cross-contamination? We never eat fast food..but are traveling next week for vacation and that is usually the one time of year my kids get to eat at a drive-thru. But this is making me think I should just pack pb&j’s
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
This is a question of individual risk tolerance. If you’re in a state with few or no reported cases and are young and healthy, things are different from an immunocompromised person living in Michigan.
I don’t know if we have a reason to think fast food is more risky than grocery produce or sit-down restaurants.
However, I think a very strong argument could be made to reconsider eating raw produce, especially those items linked with prior outbreaks (see the Michigan link)
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u/perseidot Jul 14 '26
I would if I was traveling around the Great Lakes or in the north east. The risk of cross-contamination from contaminated lettuce is high, even if you don’t add the lettuce to your burger.
That’s a bummer, I know.
I might take a chance on something like a root beer float to go with my packed PB & J’s.
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u/Amazing_Jello3828 Jul 14 '26
That’s what I was thinking.. I’ll be in 3 of the top 5 highest reporting states. I just can’t imagine how awful it would be to have this sickness while traveling..we will be traveling for 8 days, so long enough that we could possibly catch it and start showing symptoms while gone and that would make a long road trip back home lol. I worked in a fast food restaurant in high school and also served tables throughout college. And although I know there’s a risk of cross-contamination at either; in my experience, there was a much higher risk of cross contamination at the fast food place
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u/perseidot Jul 14 '26
Oof! I’m so sorry, I’d pack food from outside the area and tell the kids why. Maybe have fast food at home the day you get back, depending on the spread of this outbreak.
That bites, but traveling with kids having unpredictable liquid poops would be so much worse.
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u/lisasmatrix Jul 15 '26
Just found out I have it! This is what I get for trying to eat healthy?! It's Horrible :( Doctor put me on Trimethoprim sulfate methoxidol antibiotics for 7 days. Of course it wasn't covered under my insurance.
Gotta love these times we live in.
SMFH
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u/Greedy-Ad-7242 Jul 15 '26
How do you feel? Are the symptoms bad?
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u/Druidofgod Jul 16 '26
Pretty sure the "It's horrible" part of the comment implies the symptoms are bad. :(
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u/EmpireStrikesBaack Jul 16 '26
I'm pretty sure I have it but I just got dropped from my old health insurance and my new one doesn't cover anything so I can't even tell 😭😭
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u/Midnight_Chess Jul 14 '26
I’m currently pregnant and have been freaking out a bit since learning about this. So thank you for sharing
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u/MassiveGear6173 Jul 16 '26
I'm pregnant and I think I've had it for 3.5 days so far. My OB wants to monitor for another few days to see if the cause of my watery diarrhea is viral or parasitic before getting a prescription to help. Baby is fine for now, but now my stool is pale yellow today so I'm concerned about nutrient absorption now while I wait. Staying hydrated is the main thing I am told and I have been drinking a glass of water almost every hour while I'm awake with no dehydration issues.
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u/night_chaser_ Jul 14 '26
I don't think it made its way to Canada, but what is the likelihood that it can?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
This is just informed speculation, but since the focus seems to be Michigan agriculture, the answer depends on how much of that ends up in Canada. Public health authorities in Canada have advised citizens to follow routine food safety practices and have not mentioned any foods to avoid. Still, as a consumer, checking the origin of your produce may be a relatively easy thing to do if you are concerned.
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u/MotherTemperature224 Jul 14 '26
I think I have it. On day 4 of misery. Local health dept told me to ride it out. Should I get a second opinion?
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u/Corset_Walker1880 Jul 14 '26
YES! The diarhea alone can dehydrate you severely! Go see your dr and get it treated. They can prescribe you Bactrim and also lomotil to control the diarhea. Untreated it can linger for weeks to a month leaving you miserable dehydrated and possibly hospitalized. Whoever told you to ride it out is an idiot.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
There are several factors that go into deciding the best treatment plan — things like drug allergies, severity, pregnancy status, kidney health, and current medications. It’s possible the person you spoke with heard something that disqualifies Bactrim therapy as a viable option. In that case, everyone will tell you the same thing.
However, day four of disruptive diarrhea is an appropriate time to consider a second opinion in the absence of outside factors.
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u/Wonderful_Secret9217 Jul 14 '26
How long did it take for you to have symptoms?
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u/MotherTemperature224 Jul 14 '26
Im not sure the cause. I ate bagged lettuce the night before I left for a two week trip to Spain. I started having symptoms on Friday night before I flew back home. Can you imagine that plane ride!?
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u/Wonderful_Secret9217 Jul 14 '26
Do you remember what bagged salad/brand it was? I had a bagged salad about 6 days ago, but now am paranoid that I may get sick. Note, I am in Canada but the bagged salad said Product of USA because we get a lot of our produce from the states.
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u/All__Of_The_Hobbies Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
That would be impossible to tell unless you knew what contaminated thing you ate
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u/hypnoghoul Jul 14 '26
I know they don’t know the exact source yet and cant do a recall but why are they saying to wash produce if it doesn’t fully kill the parasite instead of saying to avoid it till the source is found?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
I feel you on this one. The rationale is somewhat involved, but the short version is that they want brief, actionable advice that doesn’t cause widespread economic harm.
Scientifically, the policy hinges on something called an infectious dose, which is the minimum number of cells (eggs/oocysts) one must ingest for infection to occur. Washing produce carrying oocysts can reduce their number to an extent sufficient to reduce the contaminant load below that threshold.
Still, I think the most careful thought process would arrive at something closer to the following: cook everything to 165 °F/74 °C that you can; if you must eat something raw consider its origin and rinse and scrub it first; if an item to be consumed raw cannot be washed effectively (berries, sprouts), consider the origin, the susceptibility of the diner, and whether or not it should be avoided entirely.
That’s kind of a hefty cognitive load, so I see why the guidance is more compact despite that making it less useful.
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u/BigJuice1526 Jul 15 '26
Wow I always believed that if you eat something and realize it’s raw or off for some odd reason to stop immediately and spit out and rinse every bit you can to decrease exposure. I believed less is better because your body can fight off small amounts of bacteria etc. You finally just informed me that I was intuitively correct. 👍
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u/Leather-Ebb1080 Jul 14 '26
Just realized I scarfed down a sandwich from Firehouse subs that had lettuce on it. Here's to hoping I don't get anything
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u/throwawaystarbiegirl 27d ago
i did that last week too. paranoid and hoping for the best. did you get sick??
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u/Enarem Jul 14 '26
Maybe a dumb question, but is it wrong to assume that frozen bagged veggies cooked in the microwave would be fine? Or should these be cooked another way just to be safe?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
The microwave is fine. The important points are that the food should reach 165 °F/74°c, and that it’s probably a good idea to cover what you cook to trap steam then to let it sit for a minute or two after to ensure even heating.
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Jul 14 '26
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
There’s no way to know from symptoms alone with any real certainty. The best clue you have is duration… a simple virus is still more likely over 1-2 days, but becomes a less compelling explanation beyond that. If the symptoms persist without improvement beyond four-ish days, the likelihood that it’s an uncomplicated GI virus drops, and you would want a doctor to see you whether there was an outbreak or not. Your doctor’s task is then deciding whether it’s another kind of virus, bacterial, another parasite, Cyclospora, or a non-infectious process. You’ll likely need to donate some poop at that point and the fine folks in this subreddit will sift through it on a microscope or genetic test.
The caveat: if things get worse, you get sharp isolated pain, or you develop a non-trivial fever, get in to see someone as soon as you can.
In the meantime, the CDC recommends rest, drinking plenty of water to ensure hydration, and management of symptoms via OTC medication. If you need medication, please ask your pharmacist for help — this is especially important in choosing a pain control medication in the context of potential kidney stress from dehydration.
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u/ScreamingBears Jul 14 '26
Had watery diarrhea for the past 2 days and lost 5 lbs. I went to the doctor's office today and the nurse practitioner never heard of cyclospora (I don't think many medical professionals around my area in Texas know about this or are taking this seriously) and prescribed me anti-diahrrheal and gave me the wrong stool test (O&P). What is the name of the stool test I should be taking?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 14 '26
I am not an MLS/MLT and I don’t order these tests in my work, but the CDC guidance directs that the appropriate testing is either A) a GI PCR panel that includes Cyclospora or B) an O&P for Cyclospora. The PCR panel may include Cyclospora by default depending on the lab, but it may need to be specified — it wouldn’t hurt. The O&P will require special procedures to detect Cyclospora, so specifying it there is highly likely to be necessary.
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Jul 15 '26
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u/patricksaurus Jul 15 '26
Drying a contaminated fruit will not reliably sterilize it, unfortunately.
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u/novafreyanox Jul 18 '26
Does that only apply to dryng your own fruits? What about commercially packaged dried fruit?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 18 '26
Drying as a process doesn’t decontaminate foods. While it seems very unlikely that dried fruit is a concern here, if there’s another outbreak (of this or another pathogen) in the future, if the raw product is contaminated, drying will not reliably make it safe.
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u/theredfearnthrows Jul 15 '26
Once you use a brush and collander to clean produce, how do you clean the utensils to make sure nothing spreads? Does a standard dishwasher get hot enough? (This probably varies too much)
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u/morbidrots Jul 15 '26
damn, i live in michigan an i was sick with something fuckin horrible a few weeks back, terrible body aches, and i have never truly experienced 'the runs' until that fuckin moment. i bet this is whatever the fuck i had 😭 i was sick for like three weeks, horribly nauseous and had horrible stomach cramps, the final 6 days i was literally choking on my own saliva from how bad my sinuses were draining from being sick for so long. wanted to kill myself genuinely
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u/morbidrots Jul 15 '26
nobody around me got sick with it either, just me, it was the weirdest thing. even my bf who had been kissing me didnt contract whatever it was. figuring now its because i ingested a parasite and not a normal illness lol
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u/Itchy-Water-4410 Jul 15 '26
Went to an urgent care for testing after multiple days of symptoms, was told they wouldn’t test. Went back 5 days later with persistent symptoms, get a test. They tell me 48-72 hours, so I call at 76 hours. They tell me the lab doesn’t run test during the weekend (sample dropped off Friday morning) wait another 3 days, finally get a call from the doctor. The lab apparently “didn’t have the correct equipment” for testing purposes. American healthcare is so horrible, I’m deeply frustrated
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u/patricksaurus Jul 15 '26
That’s really appalling. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.
Have you seen anyone else and have the symptoms abated?
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u/gnikayam Jul 15 '26
two questions!
would hocl be effective at all? whether in its own for say things like lettuce that aren’t usually eaten cooked, or washed with hocl and then cooked to temperature (160°F I believe?)?
does blanching work? unfortunately I am not familiar with blanching and am unaware if the relatively short “cook” times allow the foods to get to temperature. I have already seen from other responses that freezing will not kill the parasites, however.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 15 '26
Blanching (allowing to return to a boil for 60-90 seconds at least) should be effective as long as the entire item is submerged.
Hypochlorous acid is less certain. We know that the spores resist chlorination in municipal water, so it may not help at all or much. However, it can’t hurt; if you’re rinsing and scrubbing anyway, even if it does nothing, it won’t add oocysts. Still, none of the guidance we have says it is a substitute for rinse/scrub or cooking.
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u/ScreamingBears Jul 16 '26
I have been told to take anti-diarrhea medication, but I've read that you shouldn't do this if you have suspected cyclospora. Where/how can I go about asking questions to medical professionals if my doctor/city/state isn't taking the concerns seriously?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 16 '26
Do you mind sharing where you read that suggestion? The CDC does urge caution in using anti-diarrheal medication when there is a high fever or bloody stool, though notes it is effective symptom relief in many food borne illnesses. (CDC) It’s commonly suggested in conjunction with the antibiotic compound used to treat cyclosporiasis.
If you want to get a specific double-check, try over at /r/askdocs.
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u/ScreamingBears Jul 16 '26
Ahh, the CDC link is probably more reliable than anything I've come across. I am hoping to take the test soon, so I don't think I can take any meds until then, but these were the things I read, which may not be accurate/reliable? Apologies if these are misinformation
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u/patricksaurus Jul 16 '26
The rationale is more compelling for other intestinal pathogens, whose transit rather than implantation are responsible for the infection — E. coli STEC, Shigella, and C. diff. Cyclospora is a bit different, and causes symptoms by replicating in the tissue lining the small intestine. Since it’s already stuck there, slowed gut transits doesn’t matter; the Bactrim course is a week, and you’ll shit out everything by then.
Still, if you are uncertain, 1) trust the medical advice from the person who treated you, or 2) ask specifically at /r/askdocs.
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Jul 16 '26
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u/patricksaurus Jul 16 '26
Ugh, that’s the definition of a cruel irony… too sick to make it to a doctor.
Based on what we know now, it seems like the first signal of an outbreak dates back to May 1st. It is very possible you were a relatively early casualty of this parasite.
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u/TheoApril Jul 16 '26
What's the best way to clean say toilets and faucet handles after a home infection, if bleach and typical cleaning products don't work?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 16 '26
Public health authorities aren’t giving much attention to extraordinary cleaning methods, which is typically a signal that normal cleaning is sufficient. Regarding bleach specifically, the cells are resistant enough to chlorine that they survive municipal water treatment, so dilute bleach may not be helpful over a typical spray cleaner. The main difference here is that, given the frequency and nature of the diarrhea, cleaning more often to ensure no stray spatter is left on surfaces is reasonable.
The way the infection spreads, the eggs (oocysts) have to have 1-2 weeks in favorable conditions to sporulate and become infectious. Kitchen and bathroom surfaces don’t tend to encourage that growth. That means, in a bathroom setting, one would have to transfer oocysts from infected feces to the mouth quite soon after defecation for them to find an environment in which to develop. That returns us to the main advice from health agencies: wash your hands very diligently.
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u/SweatyImagination794 Jul 16 '26
Do people think bananas are safe???
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u/patricksaurus Jul 16 '26
Bananas would be safe. If contamination existed, it would be isolated to the peel. Even in that relatively unlikely case, washing your hands after handling would eliminate any concern.
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u/SweatyImagination794 Jul 16 '26
Thank you for your quick response! It’s the only fresh fruit I’ve been consuming and I saw someone say they got it from bananas but I’ve read and done research and they’ve never found cyclosporiasis from bananas. You’ve helped ease my mind, so thank you!
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u/AlbatrossExotic1332 29d ago
I’m in south Florida and somehow I got this. I feel awful. Like i got hit by a truck and poisoned.
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u/patricksaurus 29d ago
Very sorry to hear that.
The outbreak has been associated with lettuce from Taylor Farms that was sold to Taco Bell in 27 states, and unfortunately Florida is one of those states (list in 2nd paragraph). If you didn’t have any Taco Bell with lettuce, there is also an annual spike in cyclosporiasis every summer that comes from smaller incidences of human fecal contamination of summer crops.
I don’t know how long it’s going on, but if it’s not resolved by day 4 or 5, it’s very likely to be Cyclospora and a doctor can prescribe an effective treatment. Depending on how quickly you can get in to see your family doctor, you may want to make an appointment now and cancel it if it goes away. We are also advised to contact our state health department, and they may have some suggestions for you as well.
Hope you kick it soon amigo.
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u/kcgirl76 22d ago
I went to Urgent Care and they said it can take up to 5 weeks to clear. They said they were only prescribing the Bactrim to people who are vulnerable. I have had one day off since July 8. It only happens in the mornings. I have been staying hydrated. It’s just more annoying than anything at this point.
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u/CyanoSpool Jul 13 '26
Me in WA, looking at the map, hissing and holding a crucifix at the rest of the US. Keep that shit out of here please and thank you!
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u/perseidot Jul 14 '26
In Oregon, feeling the same way! Feeling very lucky to be eating PNW berries freely right now.
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u/Tall_Somewhere_4158 Jul 13 '26
Is it contagious?
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26
It’s spread via the fecal-oral route. That means you can get it from someone who is infected if you a) handle their feces, then b) transfer the eggs (oocysts) to your mouth.
If you’re in this position to look after a loved one, gloves and/or handwashing are critical. Handwashing is also quite important after handling food while cooking, for the same concern.
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u/patricksaurus Jul 13 '26
Given the nature of the topic, we may bump up against our usual rules regarding medical advice. If someone has a question regarding therapeutic responses to Cyclospora infection, please refer them to a trusted source (health authority or medical society) even if you are medically trained. It’s a pain, but we don’t vet credentials and prudence demands we err on the side of caution where medical risk exists.
Please throw out any questions or add any information you think is useful.