Colorado had dozens of cases of an intestinal bug that has caused unusual amounts of misery in some states, but state health officials don’t think those have any link to a broader outbreak.
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Between January and June, the state recorded 90 cases of cyclospora, which isn’t unusual, said Hope Shuler, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. In 2025, the state had 204 cases, with the majority found between May and August.
The cyclospora parasite spreads via microscopic amounts of human waste in water or food, with uncooked produce as the most common vector. It rarely spreads from person to person, because the parasite isn’t immediately ready to infect a new host after exiting someone’s body.
The most common symptom of cyclospora infection is watery diarrhea, which some people describe as “explosive.” Other frequently reported symptoms are loss of appetite, weight loss, cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue.
Most people with cyclospora in Colorado recently traveled overseas, and the state hasn’t found anything suggesting a cluster, Shuler said. The cyclospora parasite is more common in tropical regions.
Nationwide, the story may be different. Michigan has reported nearly 1,000 cases and about 40 hospitalizations for dehydration since June. Officials there told MedPage Today that they typically have 40 to 50 cases in a year.
Illinois and Ohio, which border Michigan, also had higher-than-expected cases, while New York and Texas said the number of residents ill with cyclospora is normal for this time of year. So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t identified a food or other source of exposure linking cases.
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Symptoms can start two days to two weeks after eating or drinking something contaminated, though the average is one week, according to the CDC. Most people recover without treatment beyond rest and hydration, but antibiotics can help shorten the recovery time.
Even without treatment, some people feel better within a few days, while others have symptoms for a month or longer.
The true extent of food-borne illness outbreaks is always difficult to nail down because most people don’t seek medical care for what feels like a routine stomach bug. At the same time, people who see media coverage may mistakenly assume they were sickened by cyclospora when they had a more common infection, such as salmonella.
On top of that, not all labs commonly test for cyclospora, meaning that places that aren’t looking for it may miss the cause of a patient’s diarrhea.
To prevent cyclospora infection, thoroughly wash all produce before serving or cooking with it, including using a produce brush to clean hard items such as melons, according to the CDC.
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